Silver Lining
by Drusilla Dax
Summary: Every single cloud has a silver lining. ///Crossover with NCIS///
1. Chapter 1

Rating and notes: 15, post-DH and fairly AU; canon twists for NCIS and generally twisted timeline. Mikee gave me this bunny.

Summary: Every single cloud has a silver lining.

Disclaimer: I'm _just_ playing with other people's toys and nothing you think you know is mine. May I be forgiven in my next incarnation! Flamers and thieves will be adopted by my blood relatives (if you don't believe it's a threat... too bad for you!).

'The people and events you are about to read about are fiction. Any resemblance to actual people or places is purely coincidental.'

Editor: Mikee. The remaining mistakes are all mine, and I apologize for those.

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.

**Silver Lining**

Dr Mallard was mumbling.

This was beginning to worry Mr Palmer seriously because a mumbling Ducky was always the first sign of the apocalypse.

All right, certainly not _the_ Apocalypse, capital a, with the monsters and everything, but… you know. Palmer knew when it was bad.

Palmer did what he thought best: he called Abby.

As if drawn to the morgue, Gibbs arrived a few seconds after Abby. The genius lab tech was frozen on the spot on the threshold.

Abby had understood that the symptoms Palmer had noticed were more serious than her young colleague had anticipated.

Gibbs stopped shoulder to shoulder with Abby.

'He's freaking me out,' Palmer whispered to the two visitors.

'Yeah, me too,' Abby said. 'That reminds me of…'

'Ten years ago,' Gibbs finished for her.

Abby nodded madly, her pigtails following the movement.

'What happened ten years ago?' Palmer asked.

Abby turned to him and said, 'Believe me, Jimmy, you don't want to know what happened ten years ago if you don't want to start having awful nightmares.'

Palmer blinked and looked at Gibbs, who merely nodded once to confirm Abby's statement.

'What should I do?' Palmer inquired.

'Go to my desk and chat with Ziva, or read the news on my computer,' Gibbs answered.

Palmer was really feeling the odd vibes in the room. He knew when to flee, and he did – fast, taking the stairs, and not waiting for the elevator.

Abby and Gibbs traded looks. Ducky had not acknowledged their arrival; he was still mumbling over the magazine that he was reading – that alone indicated how bad the situation was.

Gibbs offered his hand, and Abby took it; they walked together to their old friend.

'Ducky?' Gibbs called.

Ducky kept mumbling.

'Ducky!' Abby called.

He still didn't react.

'Ducky!' Gibbs growled with his best Marine voice.

Ducky turned around and blinked.

'What's going on?' Abby inquired.

'You managed to spook Palmer. Not that it's that difficult, but he'd improved over the past months,' Gibbs added.

Ducky blinked again, as he took in what his friends had just told him. 'I am so sorry, my dear friends,' he said. He pointed at the magazine that was on his desk and said, 'I'm sure I read this article a few years ago.'

Abby and Gibbs traded another look, it was happening again.

'D'you want me to help you?' Abby asked her old friend.

'Would you?' Ducky asked in answer.

Abby wrapped her arms around Ducky's neck, which made the Medical Examiner smile widely.

Ten years ago, Abby's computer was good, but not as good as the one she had today, and even though Abby had always been a computer genius, she'd gained experience since the last time Ducky had needed the kind of help he needed now.

Ten years ago, the entire Master thesis of a student Ducky knew had been shamelessly stolen by the poor student's teacher. Ducky had been aware of the issue because the student had contacted Ducky and shown him two-thirds of his thesis; when Ducky saw the exact same words published under another name, he'd worked to expose and denounce the culprit. It had been a nasty fight because the professor lived in a country where plagiarism was common practice.

Ten years ago, while Ducky was fighting, Abby and Gibbs discovered that one of Ducky's school fellows had stolen one exposé during their last year of secondary school, and Ducky had never forgotten or forgiven his fellow. Ducky fought for the wronged student as if he were fighting for himself.

"Which article is it?" Abby asked.

"This one," Ducky said, pointing at a page.

Abby looked at it and said, "Chemistry? This should be easy."

She took the magazine and went to her lab to find a copy of it online or to scan it.

Ducky looked at Gibbs and said softly, 'Sorry.'

Gibbs put a hand on his friend's shoulder and said, 'We all have one thing that makes us react like that.'

'It is so unfair,' Ducky declared.

'Let's go watch Abby do her magic,' Gibbs said.

Ducky nodded, and they went to buy her usual Caffpow.

As soon as they entered Abby's lab with Gibbs's traditional encouragement in caffeine, the two men knew that there was something wrong.

First, McGee was typing as feverishly as Abby on one of the keyboards, and then Palmer, DiNozzo and Ziva were in the lab, too. They were all chatting like mad birds in a cage.

They were all so animated that neither Gibbs nor Ducky could make out what they were saying – or what the problem seemed to be.

Gibbs whistled, and silence instantly fell in the room.

'What's going on?' Gibbs demanded.

'The article is accessible online,' Abby said.

'We logged into my account to this magazine,' McGee added.

'But we can't find another, earlier reference online,' Abby said.

'Abby asked me to come and help,' McGee said.

'I'm sure we'll find it somewhere, Ducky,' Abby promised, her green eyes shining as if her own honour was at stake.

'Maybe there's no such article,' Ziva said.

All the others turned towards her as if she's just sprouted a second head.

'What? We all make mistakes,' Ziva stated.

'If Ducky says he's read the article before, he has,' Abby said as if she were mentioning a law.

McGee turned to Ducky and asked, 'Do you remember the name of the magazine where you read it originally?'

Ducky's brows knitted as he tried to remember. 'I was in Edinburgh for a symposium, and when I took a cab to go back to my hotel, I sat on a crinkled, half-torn magazine. There was a comparison that caught my eye,' he said. He pointed at a sentence on the screen in the article that was recently published; it was particular enough to catch the attention of anyone who knew elementary chemistry, and therefore Abby, McGee and Palmer nodded to indicate that they agreed that this was enough recognizable.

Ducky went on, 'I'm sorry, Tim, but I don't remember the name of that publication.'

'We don't have access to all European publications, but we have connections to National Archives, so we'll eventually find it,' McGee said.

Ducky looked at McGee in a strange way – well, weirder than by usual Ducky standards. Then he said, 'I know where I put the magazine. That would certainly help you.'

'Where did you put it?' Gibbs asked.

'In one of our old suitcases in the attic,' Ducky said.

'All right, let's go!' Gibbs declared.

Ducky took one step towards the door, but the others didn't move.

'Are you waiting for an engraved invitation?' Gibbs growled. 'DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva, let's go!' Without even turning around to look in her direction, he told Abby that they'd call her from the Mallards'.

The agents obeyed instantly.

Five seconds later, Abby was alone with Palmer in her lab.

'Do you really think Dr Mallard is on to something important?' he asked.

She glared at him and said, 'When Ducky is in that state, it's really bad, Jimmy. Got that?'

Palmer nodded nervously. 'What should I do?' he asked.

'Go back to the morgue if you've got something to finish, or go home. The only case for the day is that stolen article,' Abby answered.

Palmer nodded and went back to the morgue to file his latest report.

Gibbs was driving Ducky and his agents, and he managed to give a slight fright even to Ziva, which said a lot.

When they parked in front of the Mallards' house, Ducky gave his friend his trademark smile and said, 'It wasn't going to disappear, you know.'

'I hate seeing you like that,' Gibbs said very softly.

'We should try to avoid Mother, or we'll never get to the attic before she goes to bed,' Ducky said.

McGee noticed that DiNozzo was particularly quiet. 'Are you okay, Tony?' he asked.

DiNozzo sighed deeply and said, 'The last time I was here was with Kate.'

McGee nodded to show that he understood his colleague's uneasiness; Ziva surprised him by squeezing his arm. DiNozzo merely nodded at both.

The whole party managed to sneak past Mrs Mallard _and_ her dogs.

Ducky's attic was dusty, but it was well organized – and he _knew_ where he put everything.

Within three minutes, he'd located the right suitcase, had opened it and found the old magazine that dated from six years ago.

'Exact same words,' McGee declared after comparing the article in the Scottish magazine with the new version he'd uploaded on his PDA.

'And there's no way it can be the same person. Even if the lady got married in the past six years, there would have been no point in changing her name's initial,' Ducky pointed out.

'Besides,' Ziva added, 'I thought most female researchers who got married kept their family names or hyphenated.'

'A lot, but not all of them. It depends on their career and the state of their publications when they tie the knot, or on their own conviction about married life. There are many possibilities, my dear,' Ducky told her.

'It could be a typo,' Gibbs pointed out.

'You're right. S. Prince could well be Tina Toransenn now, but I have this odd feeling that tells me that something fishy is going on,' Ducky said.

'And I'm not a man to scorn such a feeling,' Gibbs said.

While they were talking, McGee had sent additional information to Abby, and she'd found who Miss Toransenn was.

'There's definitely something fishy going on,' McGee declared.

They all turned to him and waited.

'Unless she's suddenly grown the brain of a genius, there's no way she's the actual author of that paper. Abby has tracked her record down, and she's seriously average. This article is simply brilliant,' McGee explained. 'And she would have been just nineteen when the first article was published,' he added.

'Then we need to locate S. Prince,' Gibbs declared.

'Abbs is on it, Boss,' McGee answered.

While Abby was working on her computer, they explored Ducky's attic and found several things that launched Ducky into exotic explanations, which they all loved.

However, after twenty minutes, Gibbs called Abby himself. His favourite hacker was seriously frustrated because she'd found absolutely no record for an "S. Prince" anywhere in Scotland or in Europe.

'It's a pity we don't have the cover or back of the magazine, but we'll locate the editor. He can tell us where to find S. Prince,' McGee said.

DiNozzo sighed again. It was the saddest sound any of them had _ever_ heard him produce.

'DiNozzo?' Gibbs said.

'Probie won't find it. Not even Abby would find it,' he said.

'Why?' Ducky inquired gently.

'Because it's a Wizarding magazine,' DiNozzo explained.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	2. Chapter 2

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

They all looked at him as if he were insane.

DiNozzo got up from the stack of magazines where he'd been sitting and stormed out of the attic.

They all traded looks and ran after him.

DiNozzo was already in the garden when Gibbs barked, "DiNozzo!"

The younger man stopped immediately – he knew that there was no way to escape Gibbs.

They all caught up with DiNozzo.

"What's a Wizarding magazine?" Gibbs inquired.

"A magazine published by wizards or witches on various topics of interest for the Wizarding community," DiNozzo explained.

"Wizards and witches?" McGee said with a derisive snort. "Gandalf is not real, you know, Tony."

If looks could kill, McGee would have fallen on the spot.

"Don't push me, McGoo," DiNozzo growled.

"How do you know so much about wizards and witches?" Ducky asked kindly.

DiNozzo looked straight at his old friend and said, "My mother was a witch."

"What about your father?" Gibbs asked.

"He's a Muggle. He doesn't have magic. They hoped that I'd be a wizard, but the way magic is transmitted is not always logical. There are magical children born to Muggle couples, and there are children of full Wizarding families – sometimes even Purebloods, who end up being Squibs, like me,' DiNozzo said.

"A squid?" McGee said with a chuckle.

"This sounds like that TV show," Ziva said, chuckling as much as McGee. She turned to the computer genius and said, "You know, the one with a witch named Samantha, who's married to a mortal."

"_Bewitched_!" McGee answered. "I guess that means Tony is Adam Stephens!"

Ziva and McGee laughed heartily.

Gibbs and Ducky saw how hurt DiNozzo looked. He looked even sadder than when Jeanne left him.

Barely above a whisper, DiNozzo said, "Yeah, except that I'm a Squib."

DiNozzo fished for his phone in his pocket.

"What can we do to locate S. Prince?" Ducky asked DiNozzo.

"Ask the overgrown elf and the Ice Queen," DiNozzo answered coldly, pointing at Ziva and McGee. He dialled a number and gave Ducky's address. "Two minutes? Great!"

"What are you doing?" Gibbs asked.

"It's six thirty, Boss. I'm going home," DiNozzo said, and he walked towards the street.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs yelled.

The younger man ignored him and was quickly picked up by the taxi he'd called.

"Don't worry, Boss, Abby and I will find the real editor of this magazine," McGee said with assurance.

He looked so convinced that Ducky gave him the precious evidence. DiNozzo's story sounded so farfetched that the ME decided to believe in computers and science.

The next day when Ziva and Gibbs arrived, they found that McGee had spent the night, trying to find at least one tiny clue about the magazine.

However, the font was not one McGee had ever seen anywhere, and the composition of the ink and the paper had completely puzzled Abby's mass spectrometer. The lab tech had been so much annoyed that she'd worked on that mystery all night long, too.

McGee and Abby were working on a very real magazine that science was telling them didn't exist. They were both rather frustrated.

Ducky arrived very early, hoping to hear that the editor had been located at the very least.

DiNozzo arrived right on time to start his shift. He greeted his boss and Ducky, but not Ziva and McGee.

"Still angry, Tony?" Ziva teased him.

"What for?" DiNozzo asked.

"Because we didn't believe your story," she went on.

"What story?" he asked.

"You know, the one that…" she began to say. Ziva stopped mid-sentence; she couldn't say another word on the topic, as if there were a spell on her.

Ziva blinked several times, coughed, and tried again, "The fact that…" but she couldn't repeat what DiNozzo had told them the day before.

"But you said you're not a…" McGee exclaimed, or tried to.

They couldn't say aloud that DiNozzo had mentioned magic.

They both tried to say 'magic', 'spell', 'wizard' or other magic-related words in sentences linked to DiNozzo, but they simply couldn't.

DiNozzo smirked. It had cost him a lot to get a wizard to cast that Protection spell on him – not in monetary value, but in pride. It was always heart-wrenching for DiNozzo to go to the Wizarding Quarter in town to ask for help.

Ducky, and then Gibbs, tried to say something, too, but they got exactly the same result.

Gibbs was surprised.

"Tony, elevator," Gibbs said.

It wasn't an order, but a wish, and the younger agent followed his boss.

When the doors closed behind them, Ducky looked at Ziva and McGee and said, "It seems that we were wrong."

McGee and Ziva shrugged.

"There's got to be an explanation," McGee protested.

"An explanation to what?" a not-caffeinated Abby asked as she joined them in the bullpen.

"Tony told us a joke yesterday, and now we can't repeat it," McGee explained.

"What do you mean, McGee?" Abby inquired with a near-growl in her voice.

McGee, Ziva and Ducky tried to explain what had happened in Ducky's garden, but they couldn't say one word about it.

They even tried to write it down, but they dropped their pens or didn't write what they wanted.

"What's that thing he pretended to be?" Ziva asked McGee.

"A squid," McGee said.

"No," Ducky intervened. "It was another word."

"Oh, my God! Did he tell you he's a _Squib_?" Abby asked in an urgent whisper.

"That's it! That's the word!" Ziva said.

"Yeah, a squ… a squ… Darn! I can't say that one either!" McGee complained.

"Did you make fun of him?" Abby demanded.

Ziva and McGee's guilty expressions were answer enough.

"Where is he?" Abby asked.

"Elevator, with Gibbs," Ziva said.

"Gibbs had better be nice!" Abby growled as she stormed away to stand in front of the stubbornly closed doors.

Abby had an altar to Gibbs, it was a well-known fact at NCIS; if she was growling at him, then the situation was really odd.

Ziva and McGee traded looks; perhaps there was more to it than met the eye. Perhaps they were in trouble.

In the meantime, Gibbs had stopped the elevator and was waiting for DiNozzo to speak.

After a full minute-long glaring contest, DiNozzo turned to face the back wall of the cabin, and he clutched the railing.

"You can't begin to imagine what it cost me to tell you guys about magic," DiNozzo admitted.

"I thought you said you can't do it," Gibbs stated softly.

"I can't, Gibbs. I can _feel_ magic, which is why I can say that Ducky's magazine is a Wizarding one. I had to pay someone to cast a spell on me," DiNozzo said. His voice broke down on the last words.

Gibbs put one hand on his agent's shoulder.

"When they mentioned _Bewitched_, it was just too much, Boss. Magic was always an issue at home. In the beginning, my dad didn't want to hear about it, and then he started to think that it might be a good thing to have a wizard for his heir, but I never showed signs of magic," DiNozzo stopped to take a deep breath. His shoulders sagged when he went on, "Then my mother thought I was a disgrace to her family. The relationship between my parents got worse, and to make a long story short, I'm persona non grata on both sides of the family."

"They're idiots. It's not your fault if you didn't become a wizard," Gibbs declared seriously.

DiNozzo swirled to face his boss. If the spell didn't work on him, it meant that Gibbs wasn't making fun of DiNozzo's situation. It meant the world to DiNozzo.

"Could you help Ducky before he starts to auto-combust over that plagiarism issue?" Gibbs asked.

DiNozzo chuckled. "Okay, but no McGee or Ziva. I don't want to take them to the Wizarding Quarter – not that they'd find it again without me," he said.

"Mind if I tag along?" Gibbs asked.

"You'd have to let me drive," DiNozzo said.

"That's all you'll get for your birthday, DiNozzo," Gibbs joked.

"Fine with me, Boss," he said.

Gibbs grinned and started the elevator again.

When the doors opened, DiNozzo was almost tackled by Abby.

"I'm sorry they bugged you!" she exclaimed. "It's not your fault if you're a Squib."

"Abbs, how do you know what it means?" Gibbs asked.

"New Orleans is a nest of witches, Boss," DiNozzo murmured.

Gibbs looked at his lab tech, trying to assess if she could be a witch.

"I just know a lot about them. My best friend, Cynthia La Rochelle, she went to a Witching school," Abby said excitedly.

"Abby," DiNozzo stopped her before she launched herself into an explanation a mile long at the speed of light, "the magazine is a Wizarding publication. I'm taking Gibbs and Ducky to the Quarter."

Abby squealed and said, "I'll be in your car in five minutes. Just gimme time to turn off my machines!"

She was gone in the wink of an eye.

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo, who shrugged and said, "I think there's no stopping her."

"At least, she's not calling you a _squid_," Gibbs deadpanned.

DiNozzo laughed heartily.

Gibbs got out of the elevator and called Ducky, telling him to bring the magazine with him.

McGee and Ziva followed the ME.

"Not you two," Gibbs ordered.

"There's not enough room in the car," DiNozzo said as the doors were closing.

"They're really pissed off," Ziva said.

"How could we know that it wasn't another of Tony's jokes?" McGee said.

"Yeah, McGee, but you know, I think I can understand Tony a bit," she said.

"We've got to find a way to make it better," McGee declared.

"Got an idea?" Ziva asked.

One corner of McGee's mouth rose.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	3. Chapter 3

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'I know what I can do,' McGee said. He went to his computer and started working.

.

.

DiNozzo parked the car on a quiet street.

Abby squealed with anticipation.

'Abbs!' DiNozzo growled.

'I'll behave, but I'm happy,' Abby said.

DiNozzo sighed. He looked at his three friends and said, 'You'll have to stay close to me to enter the Quarter and navigate there. And don't touch anything! You could end up in Tuscaloosa, and I'm being literal!'

Gibbs, Ducky and Abby nodded and followed DiNozzo.

DiNozzo always remembered the first time he'd gone to the Quarter. He'd just been recruited at NCIS, and he was nervous about getting to know his new _territory_. He'd been walking around town when he felt the distinct pull of magic, and he found the entrance to the local Wizarding Quarter.

Most of the older wizards and witches in Washington were from very old families, who looked down on DiNozzo, as if he were a leper. However, there were younger magical folks, who were kind to him because they acknowledged the fact that magic was a gift they'd had the luck to receive, and that with a mere twist of Fate, they could have been born Squibs, too.

On a corner of a street, there was a door to a shop that looked closed. DiNozzo knew that it was the entrance to the Quarter, and he opened the door, much to his three Muggle friends' surprise.

They all found themselves in a bookshop.

'Perhaps we can get help right here,' DiNozzo whispered. 'I hope I won't have to take you too far into the Quarter,' he added.

'There never was a problem when I went to the Magical District with Cynthia in New Orleans,' Abby protested in a whisper.

DiNozzo leaned over towards her to growl into her ear, 'Yeah, and your friend is a _witch_. I can feel magic, but I can't protect you with magic.'

Abby nodded and took Gibbs's hand. DiNozzo was forced to grin; Gibbs could do nothing against a spell, but the man himself would certainly make even a certified wizard pause and think twice before casting a spell. Hell! Gibbs might well make a Dark wizard pause for a moment!

DiNozzo walked to the owner of the bookshop and asked, 'Could you help us identify this magazine?' He showed Ducky's _evidence_ to the man behind the counter.

'Why should I help you, DiNozzo? You're a Squib, and you're bringing Muggles here,' the wizard spat.

'In what barn were you educated?' Ducky said coldly, his Scottish accent thickening with outrage. 'My young friend here,' he said, pointing at DiNozzo, 'informed me that the article I read in this magazine was published in a _Wizarding_ periodical. I wanted to warn the person who wrote it that it's been plagiarized, but if you don't care for your own community, why should I?!'

Ducky took the magazine from DiNozzo's hand and tossed it at the shop owner. Then, Ducky walked back to the front door and went outside.

'Look what you've done!' Abby barked at the wizard.

Gibbs was about to add something when a woman spoke.

'Was the article really stolen?' she asked.

The three NCIS agents turned to face her. She was a tall witch, with short grey hair and… hawk-like eyes.

'Our friend read it in a magical publication he'd found in Edinburgh years ago. Then he's read it again in a non-magical magazine, and he recognized the article,' Abby explained.

The witch glared at the shop owner, who seemed so bigoted against Squibs and Muggles.

'_Accio_!' the witch said, and the magazine flew to her.

'Cool!' Abby whispered.

The witch cast a few spells on the magazine, which confirmed that someone had stolen the work of a magical person.

'Mr DiNozzo, would you call your friend back? I'd like to invite you all to the bar. I work with the person who wrote the original article,' she said.

'Thanks, Ma'am!' DiNozzo said as he walked back outside to convince Ducky to come back.

'I'm Abby Sciuto,' the young lab tech said, extending her hand. 'This is Gibbs, and Ducky's outside.'

'Hooch,' she said as she shook hands with Abby.

Gibbs was a bit surprised that the witch shook hands with him, too.

'You look stunned,' Hooch said.

'I must have misjudged you because of him,' Gibbs answered, looking at the shop owner.

Hooch laughed heartily and said, 'Don't tell me you don't have idiots in your community on this side of the pond!'

Gibbs grinned and nodded.

Hooch looked at the wizard behind the counter and said, 'I'm convinced Dumbledore will be happy to have a chat with you. When he comes to lecture you, pray to all the gods you want that my colleague, who wrote that article, doesn't Apparate here to give you a piece of his mind!'

'Do you really know her?' Ducky asked, as he came back with DiNozzo.

Hooch chuckled and said, 'I know _him_. Come with me, I'll introduce you to our Headmaster.'

Hooch went to the back of the store and led the NCIS team through a door that opened onto a street that was the entrance to the local Wizarding borough. There were shops for everything, but the visitors didn't really have time to look at anything because Hooch was walking very fast.

'Albus!' she called.

An old wizard in colourful robes answered her. Hooch introduced the visitors and told Albus what was going on.

'A spell told me that Severus wrote that article, but I don't understand why he had it printed as "S. Prince", and it's not about Potions,' Hooch said.

'I think Severus was a student when he wrote that, and…' Albus's voice trailed off as he started reading the article.

'And, what?' Ducky inquired.

Albus looked at Ducky for the first time and smiled widely. The old wizard seemed almost mesmerized.

'Albus?' Hooch said impatiently.

'I didn't know Severus had worked on Muggle chemistry,' Albus said finally. 'And he used his mother's maiden name.'

'Good thing you convinced me to accompany you to that symposium, or we might never have found out about this. Let's go to the bar down the street and talk about all this,' Hooch said.

They all followed her.

When a waitress came to take their order, a young wizard at the next table tried to pinch her, but Abby grabbed his wrist and almost broke it.

'Who do you think you are, Muggle?' the young, silly, arrogant wizard growled.

'A girl who can duct-tape you to the floor, feed you to an alligator and make sure there's no trace to find,' Abby answered quietly.

'And I would help her,' Hooch added.

'And I'd add a curse on your soul, Tommy Negit!' the waitress growled.

The young wizard thought it might be wiser to go to another table.

'Thanks, Sweetie! I'm glad you stopped him. I'm fed up with having to heal the bruises, and I can't always hex them when I'm carrying orders,' the waitress said.

'Can't you put a spell on your skirt?' Ducky suggested.

The waitress beamed at him, pecked his cheek and exclaimed, 'Brilliant idea, Sweetie!'

When their order arrived, Hooch, Dumbledore and the NCIS agents shared their stories.

The foreign witch and wizard had been invited to a symposium in town, and Dumbledore had had the odd feeling that it would be a good thing to go to Washington. Now that he'd met the Muggles and their Squib friend, he knew he'd been right.

'Would you like me to Fire-call Severus?' Hooch inquired.

'If you don't mind, yes, please,' Dumbledore answered. 'Severus is going to be really angry that someone is pretending that his work is hers.'

Hooch was already up, but something in her boss's voice made her curious. 'What's so special about chemistry? And why didn't he publish it as Severus Snape?' she asked.

'I can't be certain, but I think he might have been trying to impress a Muggle-born witch,' Dumbledore said sadly.

'Do you mean he's not over her _yet_?' Hooch asked, somewhat coldly.

Dumbledore's voice was icy when he answered, 'There _are_ feelings that are difficult to ignore or forget.'

Hooch left them to go and call her colleague.

Dumbledore's four guests had the feeling that the old wizard knew first-hand about his younger colleague's ordeal.

Abby was the bravest of them, and she asked Dumbledore, 'What happened to him?'

'Severus still has strong feelings for Lily. She married another man, James, and the couple was murdered over two years ago. There's a war going on in our country; things are slightly quieter for the moment, but a Dark Lord is trying to take over. That man is the one who killed James and Lily,' Dumbledore explained.

'Isn't there always a Dark Lord trying to take over?' DiNozzo asked rhetorically.

'This one is quite powerful – and quite insane. He's almost immortal,' Dumbledore explained.

'Charming,' Ducky said.

'The situation is extremely complicated,' Dumbledore said.

Hooch came back to their table and said, 'I don't know what you were calling complicated, but Severus is being his usual graceful self; he told me he had another fish to fry.'

'That's not normal,' Dumbledore declared.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	4. Chapter 4

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Severus is weird. He must be working on a new potion,' Hooch declared.

'Hooch!' an American witch called.

Hooch turned around and smiled.

'I've got Quidditch tickets for tonight in New York!' the local witch announced excitedly.

Hooch turned to Dumbledore and their guests.

'I'll solve this little mystery about Severus. Go with your friend and enjoy yourself,' Dumbledore said.

'Thanks! And don't worry about me, I have my broom. I'll fly back home,' Hooch declared.

'You're going to _fly_ back to England?' Abby asked, obviously in awe.

Hooch was beaming when she answered, 'Back to Scotland, but yes… I'm going to fly back home.'

'Whoa!' was all Abby could say.

Hooch winked at the young Muggle, then she said goodbye and left with her friend.

Dumbledore sighed.

'You're worried about Severus,' Ducky stated, looking straight at Dumbledore.

'He's in a very strange situation, and I'm afraid that his unavailability might be a herald of bad news about the war,' Dumbledore answered cryptically.

The old wizard couldn't mention the fact that Severus had joined the ranks of the latest Dark Lord, but that he'd turned his coat when his master had targeted Lily's family. Severus Snape was a double agent; he pretended that he was still faithful to Lord Voldemort, but he worked for Dumbledore and his resistance movement, the Order of the Phoenix.

If Severus didn't want to travel magically to Washington to hear more about the stolen article, it might mean that the war was about to start again.

The night Voldemort had murdered James and Lily Potter, the Dark Lord had tried to kill their infant son, too. However, the Killing Curse cast by Voldemort had rebounded off Harry Potter; Voldemort would have died then, if he hadn't already taken drastic measures to achieve immortality. Voldemort had lost his body, but Dumbledore knew that the Dark Lord's soul was somewhere, working to restore his flesh, his tormented, demented soul keeping him alive.

Perhaps Severus had had news about the Dark Lord. If so, Harry Potter would be in danger again because of a prophecy that made Voldemort believe that if he killed Harry, he could win the war, and no one would be able to defeat him.

Dumbledore had hoped that he could protect Harry for a few more years – after all, the boy was only four, and under the semi-magical protection of his Muggle aunt. It was only thanks to the blood-link with the late Lily Potter that her son was safe at the house of Petunia Dursley.

'I should go see Severus,' Dumbledore declared.

'Can we come?' Abby asked.

'Abbs!' DiNozzo hissed.

Dumbledore chuckled. 'It would require a bit of planning, Miss. I'll Apparate to Severus's home. I can come back with him, and then you can show him what you've found,' he said.

Abby pouted.

Dumbledore took his wand and concentrated on casting the spell that would allow him to be transported back to England instantly. However, it didn't work, and it seemed that Dumbledore merely blinked out and then reappeared back in the bar.

Then, it was Dumbledore's turn to blink.

'I take it that that's not normal,' Ducky said.

'Not at all. I bounced off Severus's wards,' Dumbledore explained.

'But he hasn't completely disappeared since Professor Hooch was able to Fire-call him,' DiNozzo stated.

Dumbledore nodded. 'I'll have to get a Portkey to go through Severus's wards. I need to make sure he's all right,' he declared.

'What's a portkey?' inquired Abby.

'It's an object – anything actually, a penny or a book or a scarf – that is spelled to transport people from one point to another. The only place a Portkey won't operate is to an Unplottable place if you're not invited into it,' Dumbledore said.

'So we could go with you,' Abby declared.

Her friends groaned, but Dumbledore chuckled.

'Abbs!' DiNozzo growled.

'Your Muggle friend is fascinated with our world,' Dumbledore told DiNozzo.

'_Your_ world,' DiNozzo said.

'You know, Anthony,' Dumbledore said gently, 'it's your world, as well. It's not because people tell you that you don't have magic, that you're not a part of our community. You know about us, and you grew up in a Wizarding family.'

DiNozzo snorted and said, 'Apparate to my parents', and tell them that.'

'I'm truly sorry, my dear boy. I understand how a few families react when their children don't show signs of magic,' Dumbledore said.

'Yeah, but _you_ are a wizard,' DiNozzo hissed as he got up. 'I'll go get a second round of drinks.'

'Poor Tony!' Abby said.

'Now we know another of Tony's old ghosts,' Ducky said.

Gibbs merely nodded.

'I have magic, but I truly understand how difficult it is to not show signs of magic,' Dumbledore murmured.

DiNozzo came back with more drinks. 'Sorry I barked, but it hurts,' he apologized.

'I understand, Anthony, and I'm really sorry your parents treated you poorly. Maybe you'll get your revenge when you have a child or a grandchild who shows signs of magic,' Dumbledore said.

DiNozzo paled and said, 'Unlikely.'

'Your heart may be broken right now, my dear child, but you've been checking out all the single witches around. Believe me, Anthony, you never know what the future holds,' Dumbledore declared.

DiNozzo looked puzzled and finally shrugged.

'Can we go with you?' Abby asked again.

'We can't leave the country,' Gibbs protested.

'I could spell the Portkey to bring you back here in an hour or two. No one would need to know you ever left,' Dumbledore said, which made Abby squeal.

Abby wanted to see more magic, and Ducky wanted to meet Severus Snape to tell him about the stolen article. Gibbs and DiNozzo were bound to have to follow.

Dumbledore went to a Wizarding office that gave him the form he needed to be allowed to spell a Portkey to leave the country. When that was done, it took him just a moment to cast the spell.

Dumbledore told them what to expect

The Portkey took them right into Severus Snape's home, in his small parlour.

When the NCIS agents got to their feet after their bumpy landing, they saw that Snape was aiming his wand at Dumbledore.

Snape was sitting in an old chair. There was a child on his lap, fast asleep.

'Who's that boy?' Dumbledore inquired.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	5. Chapter 5

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The child mumbled and started to wake up.

Snape wanted to yell at Dumbledore, but taking good care of the boy was more important than anything else.

'Daddy?' the boy asked, blinking sleep away.

'It's _Severus_,' Snape told the boy.

'Oh, yes, sorry, Sir,' the boy mumbled.

The instant the child was awake, Dumbledore knew who he was. 'Harry Potter!' he exclaimed.

Harry noticed that they had visitors, and he tried to hide in Snape's arms. The wizard held Harry tighter, as if to show him that he'd protect him.

'Explain yourself!' Dumbledore almost barked at Snape.

With Harry in his arms, Snape got up and hissed at his employer, 'You should explain yourself, Headmaster! Figg called me since you'd gone to Washington. She said you knew how those Muggles were treating Harry. When I Apparated to their house, the boy was locked up into a cupboard under dusty stairs, and he hadn't been given food or even water in two days! All that because he'd showed signs of magic!'

Dumbledore gasped.

'What happened to the child?' Gibbs inquired.

Snape looked at the Muggle agent and used Legilimency to read Gibbs's mind. Snape was extremely satisfied with Gibbs's reaction and his wish to protect an innocent; he also discovered that Gibbs's first wife and their daughter had been murdered and that Gibbs always fought to protect children and innocents.

'He was placed under the semi-magical protection of his aunt because she shares Lily's blood. Those atrocious Muggles have been abusing Harry. He's skinny and terrified,' Snape explained.

'Petunia Dursley is the only one who can shield him from Voldemort!' Dumbledore almost yelled.

'Petunia relinquished her link with the boy to me,' Snape declared.

'Impossible! The protection is blood magic, and you're not related to Harry,' Dumbledore said.

The old wizard wanted to go on lecturing his young spy, the wizard who'd just disturbed his plans concerning Harry Potter, but Dumbledore had not counted on Abigail Sciuto.

'Enough,' she said. Her voice clearly indicated that, wizard or not, Dumbledore had better stop frightening Harry, a young child who had lost his loving parents and who'd been abused by his last living relatives.

Abby walked to Snape's side and put one hand on Harry's back.

'The first to frighten this poor kid will have my foot connecting with his knee, or _something_ higher,' Abby declared.

Harry turned towards the lady's voice. Sometimes, he thought that he remembered an angel's voice who was singing lullabies, but his latest experience with other people was reduced to the Dursleys. The Dursleys had either ignored Harry or yelled at him.

Harry's world had been reduced to the cupboard under the stairs and an old bedcover that was too thin to keep him warm most nights.

Now, Harry's world was in _Severus_'s home. Harry had a powerful wizard who had given him a whole bedroom – even though Harry had been unable to sleep all alone in the big bed, and _Severus_ had not even groaned when he lay down next to Harry in his bed to keep the shadows at bay.

Harry found the lady's voice very nice. In the security of Severus's embrace, Harry turned to look at the owner of the voice.

The first thing that Harry – and Snape, as well – noticed was that Abby had green eyes like Harry's.

'Are you my mummy?' Harry asked with a small voice.

Snape flinched.

Tears welled in Abby's eyes. 'No, Honey, I'm just a friend. I'm Abby,' she said.

'Oh, sorry,' Harry said barely above a whisper.

'Aw, it's okay, Baby,' Abby insisted.

Harry was hiding his face in the folds of Snape's robes again.

Abby looked at Snape and asked, 'What did they do to this poor boy?'

'You're a Muggle,' Snape stated. He looked deep down into Abby's eyes, profoundly troubled by the fact that his visitor's eyes were exactly like Lily's. 'Would you trust me to cast a spell on you?'

'Yes,' Abby answered instantly.

'No!' Gibbs shouted.

'Gibbs! It's okay. Cynthia showed me a lot of magical stuff,' Abby said. She looked straight at Snape and told him to proceed.

Snape shared with Abby what he'd seen at the Dursleys, and how he'd rescued Harry from that awful place.

Abby noticed a burst of magic between Petunia and Snape in the memory she saw.

"What was that?" she inquired in a thought.

"That was the moment she gave me Harry – the moment she abandoned him," Snape explained.

"He's yours now. How is that possible?" Abby asked kindly.

Abby's thoughts were so warm, so compassionate that Snape answered. He didn't answer with words; he showed her his love for Lily Evans.

Abby didn't make fun of him, unlike most of the Wizarding community around him.

"Why are they like that to you?" she asked.

Snape showed her what his life had been like at his parents' home, showing her how his own father had abused him, and how his mother had been unable to protect him.

Then he showed her how his schoolmates had abused him, and how that led him straight into the clutches of Voldemort, the demented Dark Lord.

Abby could feel the hole in Snape's heart after Lily Potter's murder as if it were in her own heart.

Snape broke the contact with her. It had taken him barely a few seconds to share all that with his Muggle visitor.

Abby whirled to face Dumbledore and smacked him.

'Abigail!' Ducky exclaimed.

Abby was pointing a finger at Dumbledore when she hissed, 'He's left a baby wizard with people who loathe magic! He didn't even check on the poor boy himself. Harry's only protection was a Squib who's afraid of Harry's uncle.'

'What happened exactly?' Gibbs asked. He used his Marine voice, the one that meant "Don't mess with me, and answer fast".

Abby gave her friends a quick, but accurate, summary of what had happened to Harry.

'You can't keep Harry with you,' Dumbledore protested, glaring at Snape.

'He's his protector now. The aunt did something that triggered some sort of magic,' Abby said.

Without asking Snape if he could, Dumbledore cast a spell on the younger wizard and the child in his arms.

'Oh, that makes sense, but I didn't know it was possible,' Dumbledore said.

'What?' Gibbs wondered.

'Severus's love for Lily is shielding Harry the way blood magic would,' Dumbledore said.

Snape paled. 'I forbid you to…' he began to say.

Harry's small voice asked, 'Do you know my mummy?'

Harry's bright green eyes could make Snape do anything. He'd go to Hell for the boy because he was Lily's baby.

Snape nodded at Harry.

'Do you love my mummy?' Harry went on.

Snape nodded once.

'Then you've got to be my daddy, but you said you aren't,' Harry said almost in a whisper.

'Your mother loved your father, not me. We were friends years ago. That's all,' Snape explained. 'I promise that you'll stay with me, and I'll take care of you.'

'Why aren't you my daddy?' Harry asked stubbornly.

Snape sat down in the chair. His wand fell between the armrest and the cushion as he wrapped both arms around the boy.

'I wish I were, Harry,' Snape said.

The young wizard didn't care that they had visitors and that he was on the verge of tears. His Lily was dead, partly because he'd been a young idiot, and now Lily's son was under his protection. Harry was his responsibility.

The boy was the spitting image of James Potter, but in spite of his disastrous past with James, the only thing that Snape wanted was to make sure that Harry would never have to face Voldemort.

Harry wrapped his arms around Snape's neck and pecked his cheek.

Snape blinked, deeply surprised, and beamed at the boy, who grinned in return.

Snape turned to his visitors and asked, 'What are you doing here?'

Ducky showed him the article that had been published in the Wizarding magazine and said, 'Someone has stolen your work.'

'Possibly a Muggle related to a wizard or a witch, or a Squib,' Snape said.

He looked for his wand, took it and cast a spell on the magazine in Ducky's hands.

'What did you do?' Gibbs asked.

Snape was smirking when he said, 'I've just made sure everyone knows that I wrote the article.'

Abby sat down on the armrest and asked, 'What does your spell do?'

'Yes, Daddy, what does it do? The Dursleys punished me when I tried to protect myself,' Harry said.

Snape was about to repeat that he wasn't Harry's father, but Abby stopped him. She put one hand on his shoulder and said, 'Give him time. You just rescued him.'

Snape looked at Abby.

He looked so sad that she hugged him, which surprised him deeply.

'How will the plagiarist pay?' Ducky asked Snape.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	6. Chapter 6

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Snape waved his hand as if it were really not important, but Ducky looked so eager to know what the wizard had done that Snape answered. 'I opted for the easiest spell. The thief will be forced to admit what she did and how she stole my work. If she tries to plagiarize someone else, she'll become sick,' Snape said.

'Even if it's a Muggle article?' Ducky inquired.

'Any text that this person attempts to steal is protected by my spell,' Snape explained.

'You're good,' DiNozzo said.

The Squib had been so discreet that Snape's inner radar had ignored him up to that moment.

DiNozzo looked really in awe of Snape's talent. Snape was about to say that this wasn't much, but Dumbledore intervened.

'Severus is an astounding wizard,' Dumbledore said.

Had Harry not been in his arms, Snape would have vented his anger and bitterness on the old wizard who had never protected him. Snape knew that anything that he could say would be wasted on Dumbledore; besides, the child in Snape's arms was more important than anything else in the world.

'You didn't seem to care for any of my gifts until I was almost lost, and you discovered you could use me to spy for you,' Snape said bitterly.

'There, there, Severus,' Dumbledore said.

'I rescued Harry two days ago, and I have a lot of things to do for him. I'll ask you to leave my house now,' Snape declared.

'You cannot keep Harry with you. Now that he's under a full magical protection, I can take him with me,' Dumbledore said.

Harry wailed and hid in the folds of Snape's robes.

'You can't separate them,' Gibbs declared.

'Jethro's right. You can't treat this child as if he were a piece of furniture. Now that he's under the protection of a powerful wizard, Harry has to stay with him,' Ducky intervened.

'But Severus bears the mark of Voldemort. Men from the Ministry, or other Death Eaters, might target him and then Harry might be taken,' Dumbledore said.

'I'll die before I let anyone take Harry from me,' Snape declared.

Harry stopped hiding and beamed at his saviour.

'You're not really gifted with young children,' Ducky told Dumbledore.

That statement amused Snape, who chuckled at Dumbledore's shocked expression.

'Why are you telling us all these important things about the situation? Is it because we don't have magic?' Gibbs inquired.

'No, that's because he's planning to Memory-charm us,' DiNozzo said.

'He wouldn't, would he?!' Abby exclaimed.

DiNozzo snorted.

'What kind of spell is that?' Gibbs asked.

'One that makes you forget everything on one topic, or absolutely everything. Cynthia told me about it,' Abby said.

Ducky turned towards Dumbledore and said, 'Are you planning to make us forget we met you?'

Ducky looked so hurt and betrayed that Dumbledore paled.

'Tomorrow, you won't remember we've met,' Snape said.

Harry wailed "No!" and his small hand found Abby's.

Abby looked at her friends, silently begging for help.

DiNozzo sighed and said, 'There's one way.'

Before Dumbledore could bat a lash, Gibbs had moved behind him and was immobilizing him, and at the same time, DiNozzo took Dumbledore's wand. Dumbledore wasn't expecting NCIS agents – one former Marine and one former police officer – to overpower him so easily.

'Don't let him say a word!' DiNozzo warned his friends.

Ducky's hand covered Dumbledore's mouth.

'You see, I never showed signs of magic, but Mother and Grandmother taught me the theory. Now you've got no way to cast any spell, and you're going to swear on your wand that you will never Memory-charm any of us, and that you're going to help Snape take care of Harry,' DiNozzo said.

Dumbledore glared at him.

'Don't underestimate us,' Gibbs added.

Snape put his wand back in his sleeve and held Harry tighter. He thought that Dumbledore would manage to take Harry from him and that Muggles were no match for a powerful wizard such as Dumbledore.

'Will you swear?' DiNozzo asked.

Dumbledore kept glaring at the young Muggle.

'We're not a threat,' Ducky intervened. 'We could help you.'

Dumbledore shook his head stubbornly.

DiNozzo and Gibbs traded looks. They'd gambled and lost; there was nothing Muggles could do to make a wizard do something he didn't want to.

Ducky and Gibbs freed Dumbledore, but Gibbs made the wizard swirl around to face him.

'I hope the kid's parents come to haunt you!' Gibbs spat, low enough for Harry not to hear.

'Actually, Cynthia taught me one thing,' Abby said coldly.

Abby took Dumbledore's wand from DiNozzo's hand. Then, she laced the fingers of her free hand with Snape's, and she aimed the wand at Dumbledore.

'Okay, Mr "I'm-a-great-wizard-who-thinks-he-can-do-anything", are you going to let Harry stay with Severus?' she asked.

Dumbledore was surprised to see sparks at the tip of his own wand – his wand that was in the hands of a Muggle. Granted, she was holding the hand of a wizard, but that wasn't the way it worked.

'Whoa!' DiNozzo exclaimed.

'Abby shouldn't be able to do that,' Ducky half-stated, looking at DiNozzo.

'I couldn't do it, even as pissed off as I am, and she's using a wand that's not _hers_,' DiNozzo said. 'In theory, that's _impossible_.'

Snape was in awe.

Dumbledore was beginning to be truly afraid for the first time in his life.

'So?' Abby growled at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and took two steps back to sit down on an old wooden chair.

'I thought Petunia would protect Harry, and I made a mistake when I promised her I wouldn't interfere. Lily was her sister, and I thought that after Lily's death Petunia would love her nephew,' Dumbledore said. He looked at Severus and said, 'You're going to be even more in danger when Voldemort comes back. How can you protect Harry then?'

'My Mark is almost inactive. We have time before he comes back,' Snape declared.

'Are you going to leave them alone?' Abby asked Dumbledore.

'I want to help,' Dumbledore said.

'Do you know the difference between helping and interfering?' Abby asked.

Before Dumbledore could answer, Snape snorted and said, 'No, he doesn't, but I won't let him bother Harry in any way.'

'I really want to help,' Dumbledore insisted.

'Stubborn,' Abby said, looking straight at Snape.

'Understatement, Agent Sciuto,' Snape declared.

'You can call me that in forty years. Right now, "Abby" will do, Severus,' she said softly as she squeezed his hand. 'Fate brought us here today. Ducky found the article that the idiot stole from you, then Tony told the rest of the team about magic, and then we met. I don't know what I can do, but I'll tell you where you can find me, and if you need anything you can come see me. At anytime – I'm a bat.'

'Aren't you going to stay, Mummy?' Harry asked with a very small voice.

'Abby isn't from this country,' Severus answered patiently.

Harry pouted.

Abby let go of Severus's hand and tossed Dumbledore's wand back to the old wizard, who barely caught it. She crouched next to the chair and said, 'I've got to work, Baby, but you and Severus can come and see me whenever you want.'

'Why aren't you working here?' Harry asked.

'I need her,' Gibbs told Harry.

'Why?' Harry insisted.

'Abby is the Queen of her lab. We need her help,' DiNozzo added.

'Goddess of the lab,' Abby corrected her friend.

'Abby is helping us catch criminals,' Ducky added.

Harry looked at their visitors and his protector, clearly lost. 'Huh?' he said.

'When people do bad things, they always leave things behind. My job is to give a name to those things, and then Tony and Gibbs go arrest the bad people,' Abby explained.

'Will you show me?' Harry asked.

Abby looked up at Snape, while Harry alternated looking between Snape and Abby. Snape nodded; he was using Legilimency to be sure that the Muggles were on his side. Up to now, Snape was satisfied with the feelings and thoughts he could read in his non-magical visitors; he knew that they were all on his side for Harry's sake – even if they didn't know how powerful Dumbledore and Voldemort were.

All that Harry knew right now was that after one long nightmare, he had a _daddy_ and a _mummy_. The boy hoped that it wasn't just a dream – that had happened before, and then he'd woken up in the cupboard again.

'What can we do to help you?' Ducky asked Snape.

'There's nothing you can do about the Dark Lord,' Snape pointed out.

'You must need help to find stuff for Harry,' DiNozzo stated.

'Daddy blinked us here from the house of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. It was funny,' Harry said.

Snape looked at Gibbs, the only one whom he knew could help him and give him tips about raising a young child.

'You should show Gibbs what happened when you rescued Harry,' Abby told Snape.

'Would you agree?' Snape asked Gibbs.

'It would help you understand why I want to help them, Gibbs – why I must help them,' Abby told her friend.

'All right,' Gibbs consented.

Snape shared again what had happened that made him rescue Harry; he added a few things to help Gibbs understand why Snape was slightly wary of Dumbledore.

'Is there a way to force him not to interfere?' Gibbs asked, pointing a finger at Dumbledore.

'There's one,' DiNozzo said. 'If he swears on his wand, he'll be bound to his word.'

Dumbledore glared at the young agent.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	7. Chapter 7

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Ducky put his hand on Dumbledore's arm and said, 'Let us help you.'

Dumbledore didn't know why – not yet, at least – but he was deeply troubled, and he caved. He took his wand and swore not to Memory-charm any of the agents in Gibbs's team, to let Harry stay with Snape and not to interfere with Snape's care of Harry.

'Much better! I didn't fancy having to call Cynthia to tell her I needed help against a British wizard,' Abby said as if it were the most common thing in the world.

Dumbledore looked at Snape and said, 'Voldemort will come back one day. He's made Horcruxes, and he can't be easily defeated. What will you do when he calls you through your Mark and he demands that you give him Harry?'

'Orcrukses?' Gibbs said.

'Don't drop the h, Jethro!' Ducky protested.

'I'm not familiar with the word,' DiNozzo pointed out.

'Not surprising, Agent DiNozzo. A Horcrux is extremely rare and very dangerous. It means that the Dark Lord split his soul and placed parts of it in objects, which is why he didn't die when he attacked Harry,' Dumbledore said.

'He attacked me?' Harry said, very surprised.

'That was how you got your scar, Harry,' Snape explained.

'Aunt Petunia said I was hurt in a car accident,' Harry said.

'No, Harry, it was a very bad wizard who hurt you,' Snape said softly.

'So they were right. Magic is bad,' Harry said with a small voice.

'No, Baby, it's something that you have. Your aunt said it was bad because you have magic, and she doesn't; I bet she's jealous of you,' Abby said.

'Exactly,' Snape and Dumbledore said in synch.

'Could you do something to show Harry that magic isn't bad,' Ducky said.

Dumbledore cast a spell that produced fake rain; the drops turned into snow flakes when they touched anything and then exploded into tiny little flowers.

Harry started to relax.

'You can play with these if you want,' Snape said softly.

Harry beamed at him and asked, 'Really?'

Snape smiled – that was enough for Harry, who left Snape's lap and went chasing drops that didn't make you wet.

Snape stood up; he looked sad not to have thought of doing this for his so-young charge.

DiNozzo moved to Snape's side and whispered something that made Snape blink several times.

Snape took his wand and pointed it at an old box, which he transfigured into the fluffiest cuddly toy ever.

'Oh!' Harry said when he saw it, making the vowel a mile long.

Snape made the owl toy fly to the child. The toy was flying around Harry, as if it were a bird.

'This is for you, Harry. Catch it,' Snape said, his wand directing the toy's flight.

'It's too beautiful,' Harry protested.

'Nothing's too beautiful for you, Harry. Catch your owl,' Snape said gently.

Harry hesitated a bit, but all the adults convinced him that the toy was really for him. Snape made the owl float to Harry's face, and he wrapped his arms around the first toy he'd had since his parents had been murdered.

'I love it!' Harry said with a wide smile.

Dumbledore stopped his magical rain and made the petals disappear with another spell.

'I say magic can be nice,' Gibbs declared as he crouched next to the boy.

Harry nodded fervently.

'Er… what would happen if we got rid of all the objects that Voldethingy used?' Abby inquired softly.

Dumbledore looked deeply surprised.

'We might be able to fight him without involving Harry,' Snape declared.

'Which is what we must do,' Gibbs declared.

'There is a prophecy that says that Harry is the one who will defeat Voldemort,' Dumbledore pointed out.

Gibbs turned to Snape and asked, 'When do you think that man could become a threat again?'

'I know the Dark Lord. We'll be lucky if we have ten years before he finds a way to rebuild his body or borrow one,' Snape said.

'Snape?' Gibbs said. 'What's your link with that man?'

Snape sighed. He looked at Harry, but the boy was talking to his owl as if she were alive; he decided that he could explain his odd situation. 'Let's say that I was lured to join his followers. Things were odd at home and atrocious at school, therefore, when I became a Potions master, the Dark Lord made me an offer that I couldn't refuse,' Snape explained. 'I took his Mark, and I'm bound to him until either of us dies.'

'What's that mark?' Gibbs asked.

Snape wasn't wearing his school robes; he just had black trousers and a white shirt on. He rolled his left sleeve up and showed them something that looked like a faint tattoo.

'This binds me to the Dark Lord, and he can summon me through my Mark,' Snape said.

Abby's hand was moving closer to Snape's arm, as if to touch him. Very gently, as delicately as he would hold butterfly wings, Snape took her hand to stop her.

'It's a Dark Mark, Abigail. You shouldn't touch something so vile,' Snape said softly.

Snape had just met Abby; he didn't know how emotional she could be. One second later, he found himself hugged by his female Muggle guest.

Snape blinked at the other NCIS agents. Gibbs and Ducky were smiling warmly.

DiNozzo shrugged and said, 'You'll get used to it.'

Harry, who was hugging his fluffy toy, grinned because his new mummy was hugging his new daddy, and his new daddy really looked quite surprised.

Harry giggled and walked closer.

'Daddy, why is the snake whispering?' Harry inquired innocently.

'What do you mean, Harry?' Snape asked.

Harry pointed at the Dark Mark and said, 'The snake on your arm is talking to me.'

'He's a Parselmouth,' Dumbledore said, looking at Snape.

'Like the Dark Lord. It must be a consequence of the attack,' Snape declared.

'If the Dark Mark is magic cast in Parseltongue, maybe there's a way to free you from it,' Dumbledore pointed out.

'We can't ask Harry to repeat a potentially dangerous spell,' Snape protested.

'I want to help, Daddy!' Harry exclaimed.

'We're not even sure the Mark will reveal the spell,' Dumbledore added.

'He's whispering very softly. I can't hear him very well,' Harry said.

Abby directed Snape back to his chair; she took his left hand and showed Snape's arm to Harry.

Without realizing that he was speaking snake language, Harry began to talk with the snake that was now slithering on the magical mark.

Snape was so afraid when Harry touched his arm and the Mark re-activated fully, that he didn't think of protesting when Harry put his two thumbs on the centre of the mark.

The boy had understood that the Dark Mark was a bad thing, and since the mark had acknowledged Harry's power over it – because Harry spoke the language that Voldemort had used to cast it – the Dark Mark allowed Harry to dissolve it.

'Bad snake is gone!' Harry said proudly.

'Severus?' Dumbledore asked.

Snape gathered Harry in his arms. He was crying when he repeated, 'Bad snake is gone.'

'Don't cry, Daddy,' Harry said.

Snape framed Harry's face with his hands and he said, 'I'm crying because I'm happy, Harry. No one is _ever_ going to separate us now.' He wanted to give Harry a pet-name, and the first that came to his mind was "Honey", which seemed to delight Harry.

'I did well, then?' Harry asked.

Snape dried his tears and said, 'Fantastic, Honey. Simply fantastic.'

'Now that Severus is safe from the nasty wizard, we should help him here with the house,' Abby said. 'Then I think we should wizard-nap Severus and Harry and invite them to Washington for a holiday. Perhaps we can find ways to locate the Horcruxes if we all work together.'

'Are you working these days?' Ducky asked Snape.

The young wizard shook his head and said, 'I'm going back to Hogwarts in September.'

'You certainly have magical things to help you, but your house doesn't look child-safe,' Gibbs told Snape.

'You're right, but I don't know how to do that,' Snape admitted.

'Do you know those spells?' Ducky asked Dumbledore.

'I never had children of my own or nephews or nieces,' Dumbledore said.

'Well, I know people who can help in DC,' DiNozzo said.

'You should travel with us. You can stay with me if you want,' Abby told Snape and Harry.

'Your place is too small!' Gibbs protested.

'What are you suggesting? To keep them all for you in your house?' Abby asked, almost growling at her friend.

'You can move in, too, if you want,' Gibbs offered.

Abby hugged him and bounced happily.

'Um, Gibbs, you have nothing to entertain a kid with, maybe I should move in, too. You know, just for a few days,' DiNozzo said.

Gibbs grinned and said, 'All right, but we'll order pizza. I'm not planning to cook.'

'I can cook,' Snape said, his tongue faster than his brain.

'We'll see,' Gibbs said. He had memories of British dishes that were close to nightmares.

Dumbledore looked particularly sad to be left out.

Ducky put a hand on the older wizard's arm again and said, 'If you don't mind staying with me, my old eccentric mother and her dogs, you're welcome to my house.'

Dumbledore blinked and nodded.

'How do we plan our trip, then?' Abby asked.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	8. Chapter 8

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'I don't have _anything_ for Harry,' Snape pointed out.

'We could go shopping here,' DiNozzo said, 'but we could help you more if we go back to Washington.'

'You should simply pack a bag with a few things for you and Harry, and then come with us,' Gibbs said.

'I don't even know what a child needs,' Snape whispered, more to himself than to any of his unexpected guests.

Gibbs put a hand on Snape's arm and said, 'I can help you.'

'I understand your pain. I don't want you to relive that ordeal in order to help me,' Snape said softly.

They didn't need to mention Gibbs's murdered wife and daughter; they'd shared thoughts and memories, and they understood each other.

Gibbs squeezed Snape's arm and declared, 'I can help you. I'd like to.'

Snape nodded. The young wizard hadn't been in contact with Gibbs's mind for very long, but the Muggle's sense of honour was so deep that Snape knew that he could trust him.

'So you pack stuff for a few days, and we'll go shopping,' Abby told Snape. She turned towards Gibbs and said, 'If you drive us, there's a mall where we could go before closing time.'

'We'll go shopping for Harry tomorrow. Snape and Harry need to _relax_, and I've seen you shopping, Abbs,' Gibbs teased his friend.

Abby pouted, which made Harry giggle.

'Shall I spell the Portkey to take us all to the Wizarding Quarter?' Dumbledore inquired.

'I need to go to Headquarters if we're to take the rest of the day off – at least,' Gibbs said.

'But the car is near the Quarter,' DiNozzo pointed out.

'Maybe Albus could spell two Portkeys,' Ducky said.

Dumbledore blinked and said slowly, 'I could, of course.'

'Is that okay with you, Sev?' Abby asked.

Snape didn't like nicknames, and Lily had been the only one he'd allowed to call him "Sev" – until now apparently. Snape wanted to bark at his guest, but he couldn't; between the lady's green eyes that were just like Lily's and Harry's, and the fact that Abby had her own kind of magic, Snape found himself unable to resist her.

'If anything isn't to my liking once we are in Washington, I can Disapparate with Harry, Abigail,' Snape answered.

Usually, only Ducky got away with calling her "Abigail", but she didn't mind it when Severus used her full name.

'The good thing is that Leon will be happy to see all of us make use of a few of our many vacation days. I'm sure he'll even fill out all the paperwork,' Gibbs said with a smile.

'You don't have to…' Snape began to say.

'You obviously need help,' Gibbs said, nodding towards Harry, who was still talking with his cuddly toy. 'And we need a break. This is going to be profitable for all of us.'

Snape nodded.

Dumbledore started to work on their Portkeys.

'Do you want me to help you pack?' Abby asked Snape.

'He can do it with magic,' DiNozzo pointed out.

Snape smiled. He looked at Abby, who was pouting, and said, 'Would you entertain Harry while I pack a few things?'

Abby punched Snape's arm lightly and said, 'Do you have to ask?'

She crouched next to Harry and started talking with the plushy owl, too.

DiNozzo leant towards Snape and whispered, 'You'll get used to that, too.'

Snape blinked.

By the time Snape had packed what he wanted to take, Dumbledore had two Portkeys ready.

The group going back to the Quarter would be taken back to exactly where they'd left, and the group going to NCIS would arrive in Abby's lab.

Dumbledore left first with Ducky and DiNozzo.

The young Squib had been travelling with Portkeys when he was a child; that, combined with the fact that he was quite fit, explained the fact that he landed quite smoothly.

Ducky had been kept upright, thanks to his friends, when he arrived in Snape's small parlour, but his second Portkey trip was a lot bumpier. In fact, without Dumbledore's help, Ducky would have fallen on the cobbles that paved the Quarter.

'Thank you,' Ducky said. He was in Dumbledore's arms, and the old wizard was blinking with surprise.

'You're welcome,' Dumbledore said, one arm still wrapped around Ducky's middle.

DiNozzo was wondering if he was seeing things, or if there were sparks of something between Ducky and Dumbledore.

The young man knew that there were gay and lesbian couples in the Wizarding community – but he'd just met Dumbledore, and therefore didn't know the wizard's preferences.

What really surprised DiNozzo was that he was convinced that Ducky was flirting with Dumbledore.

DiNozzo wasn't shocked; he was puzzled. He'd never suspected that Ducky might be interested in other men _that_ way. Truth be told, Ducky's record with the ladies wasn't exactly good – hadn't Ducky's last date ended up being arrested by Gibbs?

If being a Squib had taught DiNozzo anything, then it was that prejudices were an awful thing. He didn't give a damn if Ducky was gay or bi, but DiNozzo was troubled to be unable to assess if his friend was simply being nice to Dumbledore, or if he was really attracted to the other man.

DiNozzo reflected that he'd have to ask Abby to help him tune his "gaydar".

'We'd better hurry back to the car. I don't want to miss seeing the Director's face when Gibbs tells him that we're taking the day off – at least,' DiNozzo said.

'We should take a few days off. It'd be nice to help Jethro entertain his guests,' Ducky said.

'I want to help Severus protect Harry,' Dumbledore added.

'You'd better not interfere with Gibbs's plan to help your colleague,' DiNozzo said.

'You must work with us and protect the boy,' Ducky said.

'I'm afraid there's no way to prevent Harry from having to duel Voldemort one day. There's a prophesy about the boy,' Dumbledore said.

'I hope you'll tell me more about this prophesy tonight… and more about you,' Ducky said.

Dumbledore nodded, and his eyes twinkled like Christmas decorations.

DiNozzo grinned; he was convinced that he wasn't seeing things after all.

They reached the car. When Ducky rode in the back with Dumbledore, DiNozzo could spot magic between the two men, and strangely enough, that made him very happy.

Dumbledore had spelled the second Portkey to activate five minutes after the first.

'Agent Gibbs, you'll have to help Abigail when we arrive at your offices. I'll steady you and her as much as I can, but I'll focus on Harry,' Snape said.

'_Jethro_,' Gibbs insisted. He added with a wide smile, 'And don't underestimate Abby.'

Snape turned to Abby, who was smirking.

Snape's luggage was reduced, thanks to a spell, and secured in one of his pockets.

Snape carried Harry. He didn't really know how to proceed with the Portkey to journey with three other travellers, but Abby and Gibbs wrapped an arm around Snape, as in a group-hug.

They arrived very smoothly in Abby's lab.

Abby was about to say something, but the NCIS Director spoke first.

Leon Vance was leaning against the doorframe as he said, 'Welcome to NCIS. I borrowed Visitors' badges for you.'

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	9. Chapter 9

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Does DiNozzo know that you're a wizard?' Gibbs asked Vance.

'I'm not a wizard, Gibbs,' Vance said. 'And may I know why DiNozzo would think I'm a wizard?'

'Director Vance is a Muggle, just like you, Jethro,' Snape said. 'However, he's got a Cousin Cecily, who's a seer and who twisted his arm into helping us.'

Vance smirked and said, 'Cecily didn't explain everything, but she was quite graphic when she told me what she'd do to me if I didn't help.'

'And you don't fancy being turned into a frog,' Snape deadpanned.

Vance chuckled. 'She did it once, and I don't like flies that much,' Vance joked.

Harry giggled.

Vance smiled widely at the boy, who was half-hiding behind his owl plushy. Vance walked towards the group and gave Snape the two badges.

'Are you a seer, too?' Vance asked Snape.

'True seers are extremely rare. Your cousin is Cecily Devane; her reputation is well-established. I'm not a seer,' Snape answered.

'And that's the best answer I'll get from you,' Vance said.

Snape nodded once. He didn't want to tell too many people that he was a Legilimens.

Vance turned to Gibbs and Abby and said, 'Our visitor can probably turn me into a frog, too, but you two had better tell me why DiNozzo would think I'm a wizard.'

'It's a logical conclusion. You brought badges, and you weren't surprised when we arrived,' Abby lied.

'Why just DiNozzo, Sciuto? I can ask my cousin to tell me what you're trying to hide,' Vance said.

'Just as easily as I can turn you into a frog and use you in one of my potions,' Snape said. 'You don't need to know what's going on.'

Vance chuckled and said, 'All right, but if you decide to put a spell on me, I'd rather be Memory-charmed than find myself ending up in a liquid that even Sciuto couldn't analyze.'

'Noted,' Snape declared amiably.

'There's nothing that my mass-spec can't analyze!' Abby exclaimed.

'I'm afraid that even the best machine can't work on potions, Abigail,' Snape told her.

Abby growled and said, 'Well, I'd like to give it a try!'

Snape chuckled, and Abby glared at him.

'Mummy wants to play!' Harry said with a merry chuckle.

'Well? Do you have something in your pockets that I could analyze?' Abby inquired.

Vance and Gibbs moved to a corner of the lab while Snape put Harry down. The boy had his toy in one arm and his free hand grabbed Snape's trousers; Snape didn't mind one bit because he didn't want Harry to go too far from him.

From one of his pockets, Snape got a phial of Pepper-up potion.

'I can give you a drop of this if you want,' Snape said.

Abby started working immediately.

'She's not going to find anything. There's magic in the liquid,' Vance declared in a whisper.

'That'll keep them busy until DiNozzo drives our other guest here,' Gibbs said.

'What happened?' Vance asked.

Gibbs gave him a quick, but accurate summary of the entire situation.

While Abby was waiting for her spectrometer to prove "Sev" wrong, she'd introduced her hippo toy to Harry's owl, and the boy was having a very serious chat with the two toys.

'Is that normal?' Snape asked Abby in a whisper.

Abby wondered what he meant until she looked where he was looking. 'Harry, do you mean?' she asked.

'Yes.'

'Did you never talk to your toys?' Abby asked Snape.

'I don't think I ever had any toys,' Snape stated.

The next second, Abby was hugging a _very_ surprised Snape.

Vance nudged Gibbs, and they went together to Gibbs's favourite coffee place to keep chatting – and give Abby some quiet time with Snape and Harry.

'Abigail?' Snape murmured.

'It's so sad that you never had a toy,' Abby said, almost crushing her new friend.

Snape shrugged.

'I'll find something for you, Sev,' Abby declared.

She turned back to her machines, leaving Snape blinking. He'd never ever met anyone like Abigail Sciuto.

Harry had stopped talking to the toys. The boy was focussing on his _parents_ now. His Aunt Petunia had always said in a growl that Harry's parents had been killed in a car crash – the car crash that had left Harry with an odd scar on his forehead.

Harry's life had changed the instant he'd showed signs of magic for the first time, and the Dursleys had punished him.

Harry was still too young to understand why it was a blessing that he'd used magic when he did. Snape had rescued him because the Potions master thought that he had to do what Dumbledore would have done; no one knows what would have happened to Harry if Dumbledore hadn't gone to Washington.

Now Harry was ready to give his love to the wizard who'd rescued him – and who, but his father, would have come to take him from the Dursleys? And his mother had green eyes just like his, and she was playing with his dad.

Harry needed to give all the love accumulated in his little heart, and Snape and Abby were ready to let him do so.

Perhaps Harry knew that the wizard and the lab tech couldn't be his parents, because they were too nice to have abandoned him with the Dursleys, but all he cared about now was that he'd found them, and neither was locking him in a cupboard for daring to call them "Daddy" and "Mummy".

'Harry, Little Love, do you want to play a game on the computer?' Abby asked the boy.

'What is it?' Harry said.

'Can you play with him?' Abby asked Snape.

'The last time I saw a computer, there were no games on it,' Snape answered.

'When was that?' Abby inquired.

'When I wrote the article that brought us together,' Snape said.

'I don't get it. That wasn't that long ago,' Abby pointed out.

'I only used the library computers,' Snape explained.

'Ah! Good and efficient, but no fun. Let me show you while my baby mass-spec does its own magic,' Abby said.

She went to her computer and started a simple game. She told Snape what he had to do, and she invited him to sit down with Harry on his lap.

'Do you want to try, Harry?' Snape said.

Harry nodded several times.

Abby kissed Harry's brow and took a few steps towards her spectrometer.

'Why are you frowning, Harry?' Snape asked.

'The picture is weird,' Harry answered.

Abby swirled around and came back to her desk. 'What's weird, Baby?' she asked.

'The picture. It's not clear,' Harry said.

Snape sighed sadly.

'What's wrong?' Harry asked with a small voice.

'Nothing's wrong, Honey. Now that your magic is active, your eyes are going to need a bit of help with glasses,' Snape said.

Harry pouted.

'Don't you have a potion for that?' Abby wondered.

Snape blinked at her. 'Well, James had a magical condition. There was a chance that Harry wouldn't develop the same thing,' Snape said.

'Apparently, he just did. Don't you have a potion or something?' Abby insisted.

'I don't know,' Snape admitted.

Snape looked so surprised that Abby was very much tempted to coo – but she didn't.

'Can you ask your boss?' Abby asked.

'I'm not sure he knows, but maybe your colleague can tell me where I can find the nearest Wizarding hospital,' Snape said.

'No need to wait for Tony! I can call Cynthia!' Abby exclaimed. 'I'm so slow, Sev!'

'But your friend is a witch! How can you contact her if you're a Muggle?' Snape asked.

'She's got a magic shop. The front shop is selling stuff for Muggles and tourists, but in the back she's got a Wizarding store. She's got a number that I can reach,' Abby said.

She called her friend's shop and told her why she was calling.

'Hold on a sec', Cyn! This is Greek to me. I'll let you explain that to Sev,' Abby said.

She handed the phone to Snape, who discovered that there were a lot of spells that could help him with Harry – and there were spells and potions to heal Harry, since the magical condition he'd inherited from James was not uncommon, and Healers had found several cures.

'An e-mail?' Snape said.

'Tell Cynthia to send you whatever she wants to my address here; it's secure,' Abby said.

'She heard you,' Snape said softly. In the phone, he said, 'Thank you, Miss La Rochelle. You can contact me at Hogwarts if you want. Goodbye.'

Snape put the phone down, and Abby waltzed back to her desk.

'Do you want me to print what she's sent you?' Abby offered.

'Could you?'

Abby punched Snape's arm playfully, again. 'Of course, silly!' she said affectionately.

She put her arms around Snape and Harry and used her keyboard to print the file attached to the message her friend had just sent Snape.

The printer connected to her computer was printing the last page of the file when the one connected to her mass-spectrometer printed the results of the analysis of the Pepper-up potion.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	10. Chapter 10

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Abby gave Snape the file she'd just printed for him, and she went to read the results of the analysis.

Harry was still on Snape's lap, and Snape had started reading the tips and spells that Cynthia La Rochelle had e-mailed him when Harry gasped, 'Mummy!'

Snape looked up and saw that Abby was on the verge of tears.

Harry rushed to Abby and wrapped his arms around her leg. She looked at him and two fat tears fell on the floor.

Snape walked to her slowly – he didn't know how to deal with a crying woman. When he was close enough, he put a hand on her shoulder.

'There's nothing,' Abby wailed, showing Snape the page of empty results.

'I'm sorry, Abigail, but magic isn't compatible with Muggle appliances. Your mass-spectrometer can't analyse a potion, and I can't put a spell on your computer to perform any task. Our worlds are different,' Snape said.

'This is the first time my baby hasn't been able to analyse something!' Abby protested.

'Mummy?' Harry said with a clearly puzzled voice, and squeezing Abby's leg tighter.

Abby handed the results to Snape and leant down to take Harry in her arms. 'I was just surprised, Baby. Apparently, I'll have to learn a few things about magic.'

'Right now, I think you should cover your tracks and delete everything you did on the Pepper-up potion,' Snape suggested.

'All right, and you go browse your file for Harry,' Abby said.

Snape nodded and went back to her desk. He started multitasking – he had one eye on the printed spells, and one on Abby, who was telling Harry what she was doing on her computer. He thought that she was quite gifted with the boy, and he admired her ease with Harry. Snape could brew very intricate potions even if he was exhausted, but taking care of Harry properly would require that he learn how to do so.

Abby noticed that Snape was observing her. 'I have a nephew who's about the same age,' she said. 'And I've got a few friends who have kids.'

'The youngest students we have at Hogwarts are eleven – sometimes ten, but never younger. I'm a bit lost,' Snape admitted.

'We're going to help you, Sev. We'll go to Gibbs's place. I'll have to hop by my place to get a thing or two – maybe Tony can drive me there, and then when we're settled with Gibbs for our holiday, we'll all get to know one another,' Abby said.

Snape nodded.

'Sev? Can I clean my slides like I would any other, or is your potion dangerous?' Abby asked.

'It's not dangerous, but it would be better if I put a spell on everything,' Snape said.

'I'll disconnect the cameras,' Abby said.

She did that with Harry still balanced on her left hip, and Snape cleaned away all traces of his potion in the lab.

'Whoa! Very impressive,' Abby said as she reconnected the surveillance cameras.

'That's a useful spell, but not that impressive,' Snape protested.

'We really need to learn about each other's worlds,' Abby said. She walked to her desk and sat on the corner. 'What did you find for Harry?' she asked.

'He's so young. I could brew a potion, but it would take time. I'll cast a Healing spell tonight,' Snape said.

'Will you need anything?' Abby inquired.

'Just a quiet room,' Snape said.

'Then you can operate in Gibbs's guest room,' Abby said.

Snape caressed Harry's hair and said gently, 'I don't really know how your eyes are going to react because of the magic that activated in you. If everything becomes more blurry, tell me, Honey.'

'Yes, Daddy,' Harry answered obediently.

'It's great that you can help Harry. Without magic he'd be stuck with glasses,' Abby said. She started caressing Harry's hair, too; her fingers brushed against Snape's sometimes, which surprised him deeply. Harry was the happiest little boy on earth.

'I can help Harry because he's got a magical infection, and because medical spells and potions have improved since James developed the same infection,' Snape said.

'Can you tell me more about your job?' Abby asked Snape.

While they were waiting for all their friends to come back to the lab, Snape began to explain what he was doing at Hogwarts, and how the school was organized.

DiNozzo parked the car in the garage, and he and Ducky escorted Dumbledore to the reception desk to have him get a visitor's badge.

Dumbledore's robes were a bit colourful, and NCIS personnel wondered who this man was. Ducky was chatting with Dumbledore, which made the agents believe that the old wizard might be a witness of some sort.

When they reached the bull-pen, Vance was talking with Gibbs near the senior agent's desk. Ziva and McGee were at their respective desks.

'We've got something for you, Tony,' McGee said joyfully.

Ziva went to stand by McGee. DiNozzo took a few steps to take the paper that McGee was handing him.

One side of the paper was full of facts and dates.

'What is it?' DiNozzo asked.

'You see, Tony, this is a gift for you. You now have a list of the things you did to me the first year we worked together… All the pranks, stolen lunches, hidden phones, borrowed PDAs… Everything that you did to me in eleven months and two weeks exactly. The entire list is much longer, and there's one for Ziva, too,' McGee said. 'We're saving those.'

'We're sorry that we hurt you about the squid thingy, Tony,' Ziva said, 'but it's so strange that we thought you were joking. We really didn't _mean_ to hurt you.'

'And we hope that you didn't mean to hurt _us_ when you teased us,' McGee added.

'We hope that it's just your weird sense of humour,' Ziva said.

'I never hurt you!' DiNozzo protested vehemently.

'DiNozzo!' Gibbs barked. 'You'll have to understand that commenting on a colleague's photos of his little sister might not be welcome. I'll say nothing about the search you did with NCIS computers to try to assess if your female colleague is dating someone.'

DiNozzo blushed.

'Respect works both ways, Tony,' Ducky said gently.

DiNozzo nodded. He turned to Dumbledore and asked, 'Could you put an end to the Protection spell that's on me?'

Dumbledore snapped his fingers.

DiNozzo looked at McGee and said, 'Now you can talk about magic again.'

McGee nodded.

The next instant, Ziva's dominant hand was wrapped around DiNozzo's throat.

'Why do you want to know if I'm dating someone?' Ziva hissed.

'Because he wants to date you, but he's too shy to ask you out,' Dumbledore declared. DiNozzo glared at the old wizard, but Dumbledore was unfazed. 'I'm just saving you time, my dear boy,' Dumbledore said.

Vance turned to Gibbs and said, 'Keep me posted, Jethro.'

'Will do,' Gibbs promised.

Vance looked at DiNozzo and Ziva as he walked back to his office. 'Good thing Ziva is not fully NCIS, and anyway, I heard nothing,' Vance said.

Ziva was blinking at DiNozzo. He delicately touched her hand, and she freed him. She looked lost.

'The team has been freed till next Monday – to begin with. Leon said we could take a few more days after that; he said we deserved it, and he added something about a few people who'd be happy to see us use the vacation days we've been accumulating – just like I knew he would,' Gibbs said with a half-smile.

'What are we supposed to do?' Ziva asked.

'I'll have three guests at home. McGee can start typing his next book – no writing about magic or fantasy, McGee!' Gibbs warned his agent, who blushed and nodded.

Gibbs turned to Ducky.

'I'll take care of Albus, Jethro. We'll come and see you when you start working on a strategy to help Harry,' the ME said.

Gibbs nodded at that and turned to Ziva and DiNozzo. 'You two can either crash somewhere in my house, if you want to stay with us, or you can start behaving like adults and _talk_,' Gibbs said.

Seemingly out of the blue, Dumbledore told DiNozzo, 'You'll never know if you don't ask her.'

'I hate Legilimens,' DiNozzo growled softly. He turned to Ziva, took a deep breath and asked her, 'Would you like to have dinner with me?'

Ziva blinked, shrugged and nodded.

DiNozzo grinned.

Dumbledore winked at Ducky, who beamed.

'All right. Let's go to the lab,' Gibbs declared.

They all followed him.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	11. Chapter 11

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Gibbs, Ducky and Dumbledore took the elevator, while DiNozzo, McGee and Ziva took the stairs.

Ziva was the first to ask DiNozzo who Dumbledore was, and he tried to explain as much as possible before they reached Abby's lab. Now that they knew about magic, the two agents who'd been confined to Headquarters were eager to be able to talk with wizards.

DiNozzo and his two friends caught up with their boss, and they all entered the lab.

'Sev! This is so much better than… even than coffee!' Abby was exclaiming as they came in.

Snape chuckled; Abby's enthusiasm was contagious, and the young woman was making Harry happy.

'What's better than coffee, Abby?' Gibbs asked.

'Severus's Pepper-up potion! It's brilliant, Gibbs! I feel like I could work night and day for a week and not even get tired!' Abby explained.

'Why did you drink a potion?' McGee inquired.

'Curiosity, McGee!' Abby answered. 'Besides, Sev wouldn't have agreed to let me taste it if it were dangerous for a Muggle.'

'Muggle?' Ziva whispered to DiNozzo.

'Non-magical people. You're a Muggle,' he explained in a murmur.

Ziva nodded slowly.

'How do you know you can trust _Sev_?' McGee asked, making the Potions master's name sound as if it were a disease.

Literally in the wink of an eye, Snape had his wand pointing at the agent, and he growled, 'No one calls me "Sev"!'

'Abby does!' McGee protested vehemently.

Gibbs cuffed the back of his agent's head and declared, 'Abby can. You can't.'

DiNozzo noticed the small flick of Snape's wand, but he wasn't sure which silent spell he'd cast.

In fact, Snape had cast a variant of the Legilimency spell that allowed him to specifically look for the reason that could explain the young agent's animosity.

'Abigail is not a seer. You should tell her,' Snape declared as he put his wand back into his sleeve.

'I did!' McGee barked.

'I'm sorry,' Snape said very softly.

McGee glared at the young wizard, but the agent saw that the other man meant his words – he was truly sorry that Abby no longer loved him. McGee took a deep breath and nodded at Snape.

During that exchange, Abby put two and two together. It was her turn to growl and say, 'Tim! You're my friend, but if you try to interfere with _my_ life, I'll send you a nasty virus! One that will barbecue your laptop. Clear?'

'Clear,' McGee said with a gulp.

'Don't anger the Goth gal, Probie,' DiNozzo said.

'What's a goss, Mummy?' Harry asked timidly.

Abby swirled around and gave the quickest explanation possible.

Harry looked at Snape and said, 'Daddy's a Goth, too.'

Snape blinked. He blinked even more when Abby said, 'Yea, Daddy fits the definition a bit.'

'What's that "Mummy" and "Daddy" thing?' Ziva asked Abby.

'Harry adopted us,' Abby explained as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

'Well,' Snape began to say.

Abby gently put one hand on Snape's shoulder, as if she didn't need magic to read his thoughts and she knew what he was about to say. 'You're Harry's guardian now, right. You're not going to ship him to an o-r-p-h-a-n-a-g-e, are you?' she asked, spelling the word out so that Harry didn't know what they were talking about.

'Of course not!' Snape exclaimed, wrapping a possessive arm around the boy. 'He's mine – legally.'

'Then, give him t-i-m-e,' Abby said.

Snape nodded.

Ziva grabbed DiNozzo by the neck and asked in a whisper, 'What happened to the kid?'

DiNozzo turned slightly towards his colleague and whispered, 'His parents were killed, and the relatives who took him in locked him in a cupboard.'

Ziva growled. She patted DiNozzo's arm and walked to Snape and Harry.

Ziva crouched and caressed Harry's cheek. 'You've got your mummy's eyes,' she said softly.

Harry beamed at the new lady and nodded.

'He's got Lily's eyes, indeed,' Dumbledore said.

'I meant Abby,' Ziva pointed out.

Snape looked at Abby. He was finding it more and more difficult to look at his new friend; the fact that her eyes were exactly like Lily's broke his heart. Snape was convinced that Abby would ignore him and send him back to England once he'd told her who he really was.

Ziva caressed the tip of Harry's nose with the tip of her index finger. 'You've got Daddy's dark hair,' Ziva said.

Harry turned to look at Snape briefly, and he grinned happily.

Ziva looked straight at Snape and declared seriously, 'Call me if you need help with your boy's former r-e-l-a-t-i-v-e-s.'

'I can use magic,' Snape pointed out.

'I'm not an NCIS agent,' Ziva said.

'She's a trained Mossad officer,' Abby said proudly.

Snape turned to Ziva and asked, 'And you would help me with Muggles?'

Ziva nodded once. Something odd passed between the Muggle and the wizard.

'What's Mossad?' Dumbledore asked Ducky.

'I'll tell you tonight,' Ducky whispered.

Dumbledore nodded.

'We could go out, play tourists and show our guests around,' Gibbs suggested.

'I'll go to my place. I'll call you once I've packed a bag and I'm ready to join you,' Abby said.

'I know the best place for ice-cream. I bet Harry would love it,' DiNozzo said.

'I'm not sure that is a proper dinner for him,' Snape pointed out.

'Just this once,' DiNozzo almost begged.

'What is it?' Harry wondered.

'What is what, Harry?' Abby inquired.

'An ice-cream. I think Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley had some, but never with me. What is it?' the boy asked.

Snape looked at DiNozzo and said, 'Today is not a usual day. Ice-cream will be fine.'

'When you call Ziva, my dear boy,' Ducky told Snape, 'don't forget to contact me, too. I'd like to join in the effort.'

Snape bowed.

'All right, I'll go home, and I'll catch up with you,' Abby announced.

'Do you have to go?' Harry asked with a small voice.

Abby was torn.

'If you show me where you live on a map, I can Apparate there with you,' Snape said.

Abby bounced and smiled.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	12. Chapter 12

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

It didn't take her long to have a map of her area on her computer screen.

'This is where I live,' Abby said, pointing at a point on screen.

'Now show me where we are,' Snape said.

Abby clicked the mouse a few times and showed her new friend what he needed to know.

'All right, you'll have to think about your place while I take us there,' Snape said.

'Is it really safe?' McGee asked.

Before Snape and Abby could glare at McGee, DiNozzo said, 'It's safer than being in a car with Ziva behind the wheel.'

Ziva cuffed the back of DiNozzo's head.

'I'm only stating a fact,' DiNozzo said, rubbing his head.

While Ziva and DiNozzo argued as if they'd been married for ten years, Snape was trying to find the best way to Apparate with Harry and Abby.

'Harry could stay here with us,' Dumbledore suggested.

Snape growled at that, but Abby took everything into her hands. She picked up Harry and balanced the boy on her hip, and then she wrapped her free arm around Snape's middle.

The young wizard was slightly embarrassed when he said, 'You should be closer; I would never forgive myself if I splinched you.'

'No problem, Sev,' Abby said enthusiastically as she hugged him more closely – much more closely.

'We'll come back as soon as Abigail has packed what she wants to take,' Snape announced.

With a loud crack, they were gone in the blink of an eye.

'So, can we get more info while they're gone?' Ziva asked.

They sat down on stools or perched on tables and started talking.

.

.

.

'Whoa!' Abby exclaimed as they arrived in her flat. 'Very impressive!'

'Funny!' Harry giggled.

'In a few years, I'll teach you to Apparate, Harry,' Snape said as he tried to free himself from Abby's very close hug.

Harry giggled happily.

Abby freed Snape and put Harry down; she pointed at a cuddly toy on her sofa and said, 'You can play with Clothilde if you want. She's a good friend of my hippo.'

'Really, I can play with her?' Harry asked.

'Yes, Baby, tell her everything about your owl,' Abby said.

Harry beamed and rushed to the sofa to chat with a big pink rabbit with long fluffy ears.

Abby looked at Snape in a way that puzzled him.

'Abigail?'

'Why were you so tense? Were you afraid to splinch me – whatever that means?' she asked.

Snape looked away and mumbled something that Abby couldn't make out even though she was just inches from him.

'Sev? I bet you're a very powerful wizard, but I could tickle you to death – and I would,' she threatened him.

'It's nothing, really,' he lied.

'_Severus_!' she hissed in a whisper. 'Tell me what bothered you.'

'I wasn't bothered. I was surprised. Most people don't want to come near me, much less touch me,' he explained.

'Aww, I'll always be there when you need a hug, Sev,' she promised.

'You'll change your mind when you know who I am,' he said barely above a whisper.

She cupped his cheeks and asked, 'Did you commit murder?'

He shook his head.

'Did you torture people?' she went on.

'No, but I brewed potions that helped Death Eaters,' he admitted.

'Why did you become a Death Eater? You obviously cared a lot for Harry's mother,' she said.

Snape paled.

'Tell me, Sev,' she insisted.

"Why does she have eyes like Lily's?" Snape thought.

'Sev,' she said gently, caressing his left cheek.

'It would be too long to tell you that now,' he said, closing his eyes.

'Okay,' she seemed to concede. She surprised him by asking, 'Is there a spell?'

'Yes, but since you're a Muggle it'd make you dizzy,' he said.

'I can pack in five minutes. Let's go to my room, we can sit on my bed, and you can show me. I want to understand,' she declared.

She might be a Muggle, but Snape knew – almost felt – that he wouldn't escape her.

'We'll be right back, Harry,' Abby said.

'Okay, Mummy. I'll play with Miss Bunny,' Harry said.

'Oh, wait, I'll put a DVD in the player to keep you two company,' Abby said.

'Really?' Harry asked as if it were his birthday and Christmas wrapped together.

'Yes, Baby,' Abby said neutrally.

She selected something and went back to Snape's side. She took his hand and dragged him to her bedroom.

'If you take Ziva for a lil' trip to his aunt's, I want a piece of the action,' Abby growled.

'Do you think there'd be anything left if I take a Mossad officer with me?' he asked.

'Well, Ducky and I could make sure you two left no evidence,' Abby said with an evil grin.

'There _are_ spells for that.'

She pouted at that and said, 'Spoilsport!'

He almost chuckled, but then he noticed her bed. 'Is that a...? Are you sleeping in that?' he inquired.

'Relax, Sev! It's a fake coffin. It came with a very good mattress, and it's too big to plan to use it for my last voyage,' she said.

She sat down and patted the spot next to her.

Snape sat down, and cast the spell that allowed him to show Abby what his life had been like until he rescued Harry. Snape's family life broke her heart, she felt what he felt each time his fellow students teased him, she felt his pain when he lost Lily forever, and she understood how and why Voldemort had managed to trick him into becoming a Death Eater.

When Snape broke the contact after just a handful of minutes, Abby did feel dizzy, but not for long.

'My poor sweetie!' she exclaimed as she hugged him fiercely.

'Aren't you disgusted?' he wondered.

'No!' Abby said as if he'd just suggested something utterly impossible.

Snape blinked several times; he wasn't used to such kindness.

Abby may not be a witch, but she'd understood what Snape hadn't said – or even shown her – and she knew there had only ever be Lily in Snape's heart. Abby reacted instinctively, and she hugged Snape again.

'We really need to talk later tonight – if you're not too jet-lagged, that is,' she said.

'I'm a bat, Abigail. Besides, I don't sleep much,' he said. 'But you certainly have better things to do than talk with me.'

'You're quite wrong, Sev. I want to get to know _you_,' Abby said.

'I'll understand if you change your mind.'

'Can you understand it if I _really_ want to get to know you?' she asked seriously.

Snape looked at her for a few seconds, and he invaded her thoughts to make sure that she wasn't making fun of him, like so many others before – but Abby _was_ serious.

Snape took a deep breath and said, 'I drove away the only one who had ever befriended me. I don't really understand you, and the few Muggles I know would be either afraid of me or wouldn't want to be seen with me. You're a mystery, Abigail.'

'Growing up in New Orleans – among other things – makes me an unusual Muggle,' she said. 'Besides, Lily was unfair to you.'

'I insulted her!' Snape protested.

'Because those boys had been teasing you! They'd been teasing you for _years_! You blew a fuse, and she blew one, too!' Abby barked.

Snape blinked.

'I'm right,' Abby said as she got up and started packing a small bag.

'I'd never considered things the way you just did,' Snape admitted in a whisper.

'I'm sorry, Sweetie,' she said.

Snape looked at her, packing things neatly and efficiently. 'Actually, it might be interesting to talk,' he admitted.

Abby beamed at him, and she zipped her bag, saying, 'Done!'

'It would be easier if I could reduce the size of your bag with a spell. Did you put any appliance that uses batteries? Anything that could explode?' Snape asked.

'There's nothing that could explode – except if you count my lingerie,' Abby joked.

Snape blushed slightly.

'Aw, Sev! You'd better get used to my sense of humour,' she said softly.

He nodded, and then cast the spell that allowed him to put Abby's bag into one of his pockets.

'Let's go back to Harry,' she said.

The child was mesmerized by the animation film. On screen, a little girl was trying to catch a small furry creature.

'Totoro?' Snape said incredulously.

'Have you seen this anime?' Abby asked.

Harry looked at his daddy and mummy.

'No, and I'm quite surprised to see its kind in a Muggle film. I thought the Totoro only revealed its presence to magical children,' Snape said.

Abby was busy gaping when Harry said, 'So I could see them for real?'

'Yes, Honey,' Snape answered. Curiously, the endearment was becoming easier to say.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	13. Chapter 13

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Abby finally found her voice and asked, 'Totoro is real?'

'Yes,' Snape said simply.

Abby squealed, jumped several times and hugged Snape as if he'd just given her ten Christmas presents.

'But… Abigail, you can never see one, I'm afraid,' Snape said.

'But it's real, and that's great, Sev!' she said happily. 'We need to take the DVD for Harry. I might have to buy Gibbs a DVD player, but that might be good for him. He needs to enter this century.'

Abby put the DVD in its case, and she handed it to Harry, who beamed.

'Let's Apparate back to your lab,' Snape said, picking Harry up.

Abby slithered into Snape's arms, and in a blink of an eye, they were back to NCIS headquarters.

McGee typed a few commands on one of the keyboards and announced, 'There's no record of the magic that Professor Snape did.'

'Thanks, McGee! I was planning to erase everything now, but you just saved us some time. You deserve some extra ice-cream for that!' Abby said happily.

McGee couldn't help but smile at his friend's reaction. A bubbly Abby was always good for everybody's mood.

Abby turned to Gibbs and asked, 'Do you have a DVD player?'

DiNozzo was the one who answered by saying, 'His TV set is old – and was probably assembled by a pterodactyl. What do you think Abbs?'

Abby chuckled, but stopped when she noticed Gibbs's dark look. 'All right, then we'll have to buy one,' she said.

'I can lend you my laptop for tonight if you want. You won't have time to shop today,' McGee said.

Abby went to hug him and said, 'Thank you, McGee! Harry can watch the end of Totoro later!'

'It's real!' Harry told McGee, his eyes sparkling as if he were related to Dumbledore.

'Really?' McGee asked.

Harry nodded fervently.

'Really?' McGee asked, this time to Snape, who nodded. McGee's grin of happiness illuminated the room.

'You can't see it because you're a Muggle,' Snape said.

'But Totoro's real!' McGee said joyfully.

'I didn't know you like fluffy creatures, McGoo. That's so silly!' DiNozzo said, chuckling at his colleague's expense.

Gibbs cuffed the back of DiNozzo's head and rushed to Harry's side. The boy was still in Snape's arms, and he was on the verge of tears.

Gibbs caressed Harry's hair. 'Don't mind Tony, he's a silly grown-up,' Gibbs told Harry very seriously.

'I…' Harry mumbled.

'What is it, Honey?' Snape asked, his voice warmer than hot cocoa in winter.

'Is it okay if I like the fluffy creecher?' Harry whispered.

'Of course it is!' Gibbs answered very gently.

'I'm too old to see one, but I know where they live. I can take you there on holiday soon,' Snape said.

Harry's tears were gone instantly.

'Really?' the boy asked.

'I wouldn't lie to you about the Totoro,' Snape said.

'When you come back, you'll have to tell me everything about it,' Gibbs said.

'Yes,' Harry said. He looked at Gibbs, blushed and added in a mumble, 'Sir.'

It broke Gibbs's heart to see such a young child obviously unsure of his place in the world because of the way his so-called family had treated him.

'You can call me Jethro, Harry,' Gibbs said softly, giving the boy a wide smile.

Harry looked hesitant.

'He's Uncle Jethro, Harry,' Abby suggested in order to help him.

Harry looked at his "daddy" and at his brand new uncle, and he decided that they had to be brothers. With decent people to take care of him, his imagination was adapting to his new life.

He needed a confirmation of some sort and asked, 'So, you're brothers?'

Gibbs and Snape traded looks. The two men didn't need words to agree that they could explain everything to Harry later, when he was older, and when he'd recovered from his stay with the Dursleys.

In perfect synch, both men said, 'That's it.'

Harry decided to believe them.

'Didn't we say we'd go eat ice-creams?' McGee said to change the topic.

'Yes!' Ziva exclaimed.

Harry smiled.

Abby and McGee turned her machines off, Ziva handed Harry his plushy owl, and they were ready to leave.

Dumbledore was to travel with Ducky in the ME's car. Abby would leave her vehicle in her spot at the NCIS Headquarters; she'd go with Gibbs in his car, with Snape and Harry.

McGee, DiNozzo and Ziva would follow in their own cars.

To not frighten Harry, Gibbs remembered how he was driving when his late daughter was in his car, and he was particularly careful and not as fast as usual. If his friends noticed the change of style, none of them was suicidal enough to point the fact out.

Soon enough, Harry was having his first ice-cream. He looked so happy that Ziva and Gibbs were even more determined to have a little chat with the Dursleys.

After their ice-cream parlour stop, Abby noticed a shop that sold kids' clothes, and she dragged Snape, Harry and Dumbledore there – Abby had invited Dumbledore to follow Gibbs's orders.

While they were eating, Gibbs had signed with her to test if Dumbledore could understand that language. Gibbs had told Abby that he wanted to make sure they could communicate that way safely; he'd asked her to say something that would be bound to make Dumbledore react if he _did_ understand.

Gibbs had gaped when Abby told him that she was convinced that Ducky would get all the facts that they needed to know from Dumbledore in order to fight against Voldemort and that he'd be delighted to use sex as a way to torture the wizard to get the info from him. Gibbs gaped because he was convinced that Ducky would get plenty of information in bed, indeed.

While in the shop, Abby merely bought one pair of trousers and three T-shirts for Harry. She told Snape that the boy needed clothes that really fit – and not his cousin's oversized hand-me-downs that were in a pitiful state. She added that when Harry was done growing up, she'd take him shopping to her favourite shop; Snape would be invited to tag along, but that day, he wouldn't be allowed to interfere.

Curiously, the prospect of being still in touch with the bossy Muggle when Harry would be a teen – possibly almost an adult – didn't really bother Snape, who was beginning to wonder if his head hadn't been messed with. The next instant, he remembered that his life would never be the same now that he'd rescued Harry, and that the boy had freed him from the Dark Mark.

While Dumbledore was with them, Gibbs bluntly told Ducky what they needed to know to help Harry and Snape. Gibbs wasn't surprised that his old friend didn't deny his sexual attraction to Dumbledore; he wasn't surprised either that Ziva wasn't shocked – DiNozzo and McGee weren't shocked that Ducky might be interested in some horizontal tango with a man, but they sure were blushing a _lot_.

DiNozzo offered to contact wizards and witches who might agree to help, but Gibbs reminded him that he had a date with Ziva tonight. Besides, the magical war didn't seem to be about to start again in the next five minutes – even Dumbledore was convinced that they had at least several months before Voldemort would be strong enough again to try anything against Harry.

Ziva told her date that she'd pick him up at seven at his place. DiNozzo nodded as he gaped; he'd never dated a woman like Ziva, and he was beginning to be slightly stunned.

Gibbs invited McGee to come over to his place, but the young agent admitted that the prospect of seeing Abby flirting with Snape was just too much for him right now.

McGee wanted to try something while the others would be having fun – mostly. He asked DiNozzo if Squibs or Muggles or even magical people could have launched websites about real magic. DiNozzo gave McGee a few keywords that would reveal real magic; the computer genius would start looking for magical help online.

When Harry and his protectors came back to the others' group, they started a first, quick visit of the city.

They were approaching the Capitol when Harry fell asleep in Snape's arms.

'He's sleeping so much,' Snape whispered.

'Kids tend to do that,' Gibbs declared. 'He's very young, and he's been through quite a lot.'

Snape nodded.

'But the good thing is that he trusts you entirely,' Ducky added kindly.

Snape blinked, lost.

'My dear boy, young Harry here wouldn't fall asleep so easily and so deeply if he thought you'd treat him like his dreadful _Muggle_ relatives,' Ducky said. The ME might have learnt about magic only that day, but he knew how to spit the word to describe people without magic when he wanted to mention the Dursleys.

'Ducky's right, you know,' Abby said. 'I'm a great baby-sitter, and a kid who's afraid doesn't sleep that peacefully.'

Snape wrapped his arms around Harry a bit more possessively. If Lily's son trusted him, Snape would die to protect the boy; he didn't know where the love he felt in his heart was coming from, but he didn't care. It could be a manifestation of his love for the late Lily, it could be a side-effect of his being freed from Voldemort's mark, or it could be Harry's kindness – Snape didn't care, and the boy in his arms was becoming his world.

'I'm sure you can adapt to the time difference, but it might be good to call it a day for Harry. We've got days to visit the area,' Gibbs said.

'Thank you,' Snape said.

'We could all have lunch somewhere tomorrow,' Gibbs suggested.

'I could prepare us a picnic,' Ziva said.

'I'll help,' DiNozzo declared immediately.

'It's settled, then. I'll call you tomorrow morning to plan our day,' Gibbs told his friends.

'I could bring you breakfast. I know you've got stuff in your freezer, and you can order dinner for your guests, but you've got no breakfast for a kid,' DiNozzo said.

'I'll help,' Ziva said.

'You can come whenever you want,' Gibbs said.

Ducky wizardnapped Dumbledore to his house, McGee rushed home to surf the web, and DiNozzo and Ziva went shopping together before rushing to their respective places to get ready for their first date.

Gibbs drove his three guests home.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	14. Chapter 14

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Harry woke up the instant Snape put him down on the bed in the guest room they were to occupy.

Snape blinked, and Gibbs chuckled warmly.

'You'll get used to it. The minute you put a sleeping kid in her or his bed, the kid wakes up,' Gibbs said.

'Where are we, Daddy?' Harry mumbled sleepily.

'You're in my house, Harry,' Gibbs said softly.

'Jethro said this is our room while we stay here,' Snape said.

Harry looked around. 'Daddy?'

'Yes, Honey?'

'It's blurry here,' the boy said.

'Ah… Am I blurry, Honey?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded.

'Is there anything we can do for you?' Abby asked. She was on the threshold, leaning on the door-frame.

'I'm not a Healer. I must admit it would be nice if Poppy had decided to accompany Albus here,' Snape admitted.

'I know nothing about magic, but if you don't think you can put that spell on your kid, maybe you shouldn't,' Gibbs said.

Snape caressed Harry's hair and sighed, 'You're right.'

'We could call a healer,' Gibbs suggested.

'Why don't you call that Poppy you mentioned?' Abby added.

'I don't know where she is, and I'm not leaving Harry alone. However, perhaps DiNozzo could tell me where the Wizarding hospital is in town,' Snape said.

'Ducky is going to kick me for interrupting whatever is going on, but I think we should ask Dumbledore to go look for Poppy,' Gibbs said.

Even before Snape could say a word, Abby had her phone out of her pocket and was dialling Ducky's number. In less than a minute, Abby told Ducky what he needed to know, and he promised to bring Poppy Pomfrey to Gibbs's house.

'I could have taken Harry to the hospital,' Snape protested.

'Isn't Poppy the one who's going to take care of Harry when you're back in the UK?' Gibbs inquired.

'She's Hogwarts' Mediwitch,' Snape said. He paused and said softly, 'She's the only one who ever healed me. My mother tried, but…'

Harry was trying to focus on his new daddy because his voice sounded a bit sad, and he took Snape's hand in his. Snape's half-frozen heart finished thawing right there at the speed of light, and he gathered Harry in his arms. The boy melted against his new daddy.

'Aww, you're so cute,' Abby said, cooing.

Snape, with Harry wrapped in his arms, looked at his host. Gibbs had just met Snape, but he knew that loving Harry would be the best thing in Snape's life.

Gibbs walked to the bed and put a hand on Snape's shoulder.

'Being a dad is the best thing that will ever happen to you, Little Brother,' Gibbs said.

Snape smiled at Gibbs, and Harry tried to hold his daddy tighter.

'When did your mother give me another son?'

Abby, Gibbs, Snape and Harry turned towards the unexpected visitor.

Abby was the first to react – and not only because he was right next to her. 'Jackson!' she exclaimed joyfully.

'Dad?' Gibbs said softly. He recovered and asked worriedly, 'Is there anything wrong?'

'What, Son? A father can't come see his son?' Jackson Gibbs said. He paused theatrically and added, 'Besides there's a bug invasion at home, and I was kicked out until it's settled. I thought I'd come crash with you here.'

Gibbs went to hug his father, who beamed.

Jackson looked at Snape and asked, 'So? Who's my new son?'

Gibbs and Abby told Jackson Harry's story and how they'd met Snape. They used big words on purpose so that Harry wouldn't understand everything.

'Wizards, really?' Jackson asked.

Snape took his wand and made Harry's plushy owl float around him and the boy, which made Harry giggle happily.

Jackson turned to his son. 'I'm not developing a mental condition, right? This is real,' he said.

Gibbs chuckled and nodded.

Jackson walked to Snape and Harry.

'Grand-daddy?' Harry asked. The only thing that the child was registering was that he was getting a family – _his_ family; it was a dream coming true.

Jackson Gibbs looked at his son, his own child who had lost his beloved wife and their adorable daughter – the man who had _never_ recovered from that. Jackson wanted to know if his baby was okay with having him, his own, biological father, giving his love to a non-related kid. Gibbs nodded at his father.

Jackson took another step towards Harry and said gently, 'Looks like it, Harry.'

Harry grinned.

Jackson gently took Snape's chin between his thumb and index finger, and he looked deep in the young man's eyes. 'You're a good man, Son. Love that kid with all your heart, or you'll have Leroy and me on your back,' he said.

Snape nodded.

Jackson freed Snape's chin and said, 'Good.'

'Who's Leroy?' Harry asked.

'That's your Uncle Jethro,' Abby said.

'Yes, Leroy Jethro Gibbs,' Jackson said.

'I prefer Jethro,' Gibbs explained.

'Or Gibbs,' Abby pointed out.

Harry giggled.

'That bug invasion was a very good thing in fact,' Jackson said.

'You'll take my room, Dad,' Gibbs said.

'Mummy can sleep with us,' Harry said innocently.

Snape blushed bright red.

Abby decided to come to Snape's help and said, 'The bed is too small, Baby.'

Jackson turned to Abby and asked, '_Mummy_?'

'I got adopted, too,' she explained.

'I'll sleep on the sofa,' Gibbs said.

'If…' Snape began to say.

'What?' Gibbs asked.

'If you don't mind my using a few spells, I can duplicate a bedroom by magic,' Snape said.

'Really?' Gibbs said. For once, he was truly surprised.

'I haven't had to use that spell often, but I can do it,' Snape said.

'I'll be curious to see it,' Gibbs said.

'Same here,' Jackson added.

Abby bounced on her heels.

There was a loud crack downstairs.

'What's that?' Jackson asked worriedly.

'Someone Apparated,' Snape said, pointing his wand at the door to protect Harry if need be.

'Jethro?!' Ducky called.

'Upstairs, Ducky!' Abby yelled after stepping into the corridor.

Ducky, Dumbledore and Poppy Pomfrey came into the room.

Harry snuggled against his daddy because the Mediwitch looked angry; Harry's world might be in a blur, but the kid could spot the particles of magic flowing off Pomfrey.

However, Harry relaxed when the latest newcomer in his world swirled towards Dumbledore and growled, 'I'll have a little chat with you _later_, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!'

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	15. Chapter 15

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Pomfrey walked towards Harry and Snape.

'Severus? May I?' she asked softly.

Snape nodded and said, 'Harry has the same ocular infection James had. I don't think I can cast the spell to cure it, and I don't want Harry to wait for me to brew the potion that could heal him. I trust you.'

Pomfrey nodded, took her wand and turned to Harry. 'Hello, Harry. I'm pleased to meet you,' she said gently.

Harry looked at her, smiled and said, 'Hi!'

'So cute!' Pomfrey said. 'I'm a Mediwitch, Harry. I need to know how you are in order to help you. I'm going to cast a spell on you. Is it all right?'

Harry looked at Snape, unsure what to answer the nice lady.

Snape caressed Harry's cheek and looked at Pomfrey as he said, 'Perhaps you could cast the spell on me first.'

'Hey, my brand new kid is good,' Jackson whispered to Gibbs, who nodded.

Pomfrey cast the spell, read its results, and… squeaked.

'Daddy?' Harry murmured.

'Is there anything wrong, Madam Pomfrey?' Ducky asked.

Pomfrey ignored them all and focussed on Snape. 'How were you freed from… you-know-what?' she asked, looking very happy.

'Harry did it. He erased my Dark Mark,' Snape said.

'So much like Lily,' Pomfrey whispered, looking fondly at Harry. She turned to Snape again and added, 'I'll check your condition before you start teaching in September. I might have to vaccinate you again.'

Snape sighed.

Pomfrey remembered something and asked Harry, 'What did you call Severus, Dear?'

'Daddy,' the boy answered.

'Harry has been adopting us,' Jackson explained.

'We'll explain everything later. When he can understand… And when he's forgotten the Muggles,' Snape told Pomfrey.

The Mediwitch nodded, and then she focussed on Harry. 'So, my sweet, now that you've seen that my spell didn't hurt your daddy, may I cast it on you?' she asked very gently.

Harry looked at Snape, who nodded.

'Yes, Ma'am,' Harry said very softly.

The results showed the Mediwitch how badly Harry had been treated at the Dursleys'. She knew that she'd have to prescribe several potions for Harry, but now that Harry was Snape's responsibility, the Potions master would be the one brewing what Harry needed. Right now, Harry's biggest problem was the magical infection in his eyes.

'I'm going to walk you through it, but you must cast the Healing spell, too,' Pomfrey explained to Snape.

'Why?' he asked.

'Because you're the one who's got what he needs for the spell to work,' Pomfrey explained cryptically. 'Now, everybody out!' she ordered.

Gibbs, his dad, Ducky and Dumbledore left the room and went downstairs.

'You, too, Miss, you're a Muggle,' Pomfrey told Abby.

'Mummy!' Harry called Abby.

Pomfrey looked at the two adults and the child, and she smiled warmly. Dumbledore didn't say much about the Dursleys, but Dr Mallard had given his magical fellow a quick and accurate account of Harry's situation prior to Snape's rescue. Pomfrey understood that Harry needed love, and she didn't mind pretending that Severus Snape and Abby Sciuto were Harry's parents. The boy was only three; he was too young to understand everything.

'All right,' Pomfrey told Abby. 'You're going to help us. You're not afraid of magic, are you?'

Abby laughed softly and said, 'I grew up in New Orleans, and one of my childhood friends is a witch.'

'Perfect. Sit down on the bed, and put Harry on your lap,' Pomfrey told Abby.

'Madam Pomfrey, why did you say I must help heal Harry?' Snape asked softly, while Abby did what Pomfrey wanted her to do.

Just a few years ago, Snape was a Hogwarts student, and Pomfrey took care of him several times over the years when Harry's Dad and his three friends bullied Snape. For several years, Pomfrey saw Lily Evans take care of her Slytherin friend, and the Mediwitch didn't need to be a seer to know that the young man had been in love with Lily. Now that Snape had rescued Lily's – and James's – son, she _knew_ that he still loved Harry's mother.

'The Healing spell needs to be precise, and I will help you with that, but there's one element that is as important as precision,' she said.

'What is it?' Snape inquired.

'Love, Sev!' Abby exclaimed.

Snape blinked. He blinked even more when Pomfrey said, 'Exactly. I could heal Harry alone, but if I help you cast the spell, his eyes will be as good as if the infection had never started – because you love him, don't you?'

Snape tried to hide his blush behind his semi-long hair, but the two women and the boy weren't fooled.

'You're a Legilimens,' Pomfrey stated as she looked straight at Snape.

Snape nodded.

'I'll focus on the spell, find it in me,' Pomfrey ordered Snape.

It was very easy for him to locate and assimilate the knowledge he needed to cast that Healing spell correctly. Snape understood why Pomfrey wanted him to cast the spell; an important part of the healing required knowledge, but it wasn't enough for a complete recovery.

Pomfrey could feel that Snape was still connected to her thoughts. "Can you help James's son?" she asked in a thought.

Snape was so surprised that he answered honestly, "Yes, because he's Lily's son… and because he's mine now."

'Let's get to work,' Pomfrey ordered.

Snape and Pomfrey faced Abby and Harry, and they both pointed their wands right between the boy's eyes.

'On the count of three,' Pomfrey said.

They cast the spell together. Pomfrey's spell was more medical, while Snape was wishing to heal Harry with all his heart.

Pomfrey felt the spell work, and she stopped casting it. However, Snape's magic was still linked to Harry.

'He's healed,' Pomfrey told Snape.

She meant to touch his hand, but he growled at her, 'I know we healed his eyes, but there's something else I can feel. I'm fighting it!'

She knew better than discuss Snape's instinct, therefore she cast a Diagnosis spell. When she saw the results, she gasped.

'Stop it, Severus,' Pomfrey said, terrified.

'Don't listen to her!' Abby barked. 'Heal Harry for good; you might not get another chance.'

Still casting the spell, Snape looked at Abby, and her green eyes helped him focus on her and on the child in her arms.

Harry's bolt-of-lightning shaped scar on his forehead reopened, and he fainted.

Snape stopped his spell and knelt down on the floor, exhausted.

Pomfrey healed Harry's cut and made the scar disappear for good.

'How's Harry?' Abby asked Pomfrey.

'Fine. He'll be fine now. There was a part of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in him, but Severus destroyed it,' Pomfrey explained.

Abby hugged Harry and kissed him, which woke up the boy.

'Whoa! Everything's clear again!' Harry said happily.

'You don't know how much, Honey,' Snape said softly.

'You okay, Daddy?' the boy asked. He was surprised to see Snape on the floor.

'Never better,' Snape promised.

Abby balanced Harry on her hip, and went to crouch next to Snape. Abby and Harry proceeded to hug Snape, who was too tired to protest – provided that he did wish to protest.

'You and your son need a few drops of Pepper-up potion,' Pomfrey declared.

'My son…' Snape whispered.

'You didn't make him, but he's now yours as much as he's James and Lily's,' Pomfrey declared.

Abby took the phial of potion in Snape's robes and asked Pomfrey, 'How many drops?'

'One for Harry, three for Severus… and one for you; you're shaking, Dear. Then give me the phial, I think I need a drop or two myself. I bet Albus never suspected that Harry had had a part of the Dark Lord in him since the night of the Potter murders,' she answered.

Abby administered the potion while Snape said, 'I think Albus must have known.'

'Are you going to confront him?' Pomfrey inquired.

Snape and Abby traded looks.

'It'd be much more entertaining to tell Ducky,' Abby said.

'And _Uncle Jethro_,' Snape added with a Slytherin grin.

'Sneaky and devious… I love that,' Abby said.

'Severus is quite a good Head of Slytherin,' Pomfrey complimented her colleague.

Harry giggled, making the three adults beam at him. He'd never been happier in his life.

'Let's go downstairs,' Snape said.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	16. Chapter 16

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Abby handed Harry over to Snape. Pomfrey observed them; she knew nothing about Abby, but the Mediwitch was convinced that the young – green-eyed – Muggle would do a lot of good for Snape.

'I imagine you'll want to brew the potions that Harry needs yourself,' Pomfrey said.

'Yes,' Snape answered. 'Will you tell me exactly what he needs?'

'I'll have a local Healer owl you my list after sending it through Portkey, but there's no emergency. Harry's vaccines are still active; he'll need supplements to recover from the Muggles' treatment. I can send you phials, later – unless you're planning to come back home soon,' Pomfrey said.

'I don't know. Everything is too recent,' Snape answered honestly.

'Don't worry. You know where to find _me_. You can call me _anytime_,' Pomfrey said.

'Thank you,' Snape said softly.

'So? How's Harry?' Jackson inquired.

'He's fine now,' Snape said. He turned theatrically towards Abby, and Pomfrey had to admire the chemistry between them.

'Well,' Abby said on cue. '_Now_ really is the operative word.'

'What do you mean, Abby?' Ducky asked.

'Well,' Abby said, her voice trailing off on purpose.

'Daddy heal my sca',' Harry said, helping his adopted parents in the process.

Dumbledore fidgeted. Ducky and Gibbs noticed it and growled.

Snape and Abby didn't even trade looks, but Pomfrey could have sworn that they were in communication somehow.

'A part of the Dark Lord had transferred into Harry when he attacked him. I managed to annihilate it,' Snape explained.

'You destroyed a Horcrux? A part of Voldemort that was still in Harry!' Dumbledore gasped.

'Yes, I did,' Snape said simply.

'Were you planning to have Harry grow up with that thing inside him?' Abby asked Dumbledore coldly.

'The Prophesy… I thought… I didn't know it was possible,' Dumbledore mumbled.

'What happened?' Gibbs demanded to know.

'A fragment of the Dark Lord's soul was trapped in Harry. It would have kept Harry in contact with the Dark Lord, and until that fragment was destroyed, no one would have been able to kill the Dark Lord for good,' Snape said.

'Were you planning to sacrifice Harry?' Ducky inquired icily.

'Of course not!' Dumbledore said.

'What were you planning, Albus?' Pomfrey asked.

Dumbledore sighed deeply. 'I wanted to keep Harry shielded from Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and to teach him as much as possible so that he could face Voldemort and hopefully win the duel,' he said. 'There's a Prophesy that says that Harry will have to fight Voldemort.'

Before anyone could say anything, Abby asked, 'Really? Is there a prophesy about Harry?'

'Well, yes,' Dumbledore said.

'There is a prophesy specifically about _Harry_,' Abby insisted.

'It was about a boy, and Voldemort chose Harry,' Dumbledore explained.

'Then, the prophesy was made to fit Harry,' Abby said.

Dumbledore blinked several times.

'Cynthia said that prophesies can be changed. Nothing is final. I'll protect this lamb with all I've got,' Abby said as she looked at Harry fondly.

'I destroyed this first Horcrux; I can locate and destroy the others, and then I'll kill the Dark Lord if he tries anything against Harry,' Snape said.

'How did you destroy it? I didn't feel any form of High magic,' Dumbledore said.

Pomfrey and Abby snorted; they looked at each other and smiled.

'You forgot one big thing,' Abby told Dumbledore with a chuckle.

Dumbledore still looked lost.

Ducky sighed and said, 'Love. Severus's love for Harry freed him. Now, Albus, I'd like to know what _you_ were planning to do to help Harry get rid of that Horcrux in him.'

Dumbledore looked sad and empty.

'What were you planning to do for Harry?' Gibbs demanded.

'I had hoped that Lily's magic had prevented Voldemort from leaving a part of his soul in Harry,' Dumbledore said.

'With such a scar?!' Pomfrey snorted. She looked at Gibbs and asked him, 'Do you mind if I come back to your house with things for Harry?'

'You're welcome to… Apparate here, Madam Pomfrey,' Gibbs said kindly.

'_Poppy_, please. Don't make me feel like an old bat,' Pomfrey said.

'Only if you call me Jethro,' he said.

She nodded at Gibbs, and then turned to Snape and Abby. 'We're not out of the wood here. It'll save time if I hop back to Hogwarts and St Mungo's,' she said.

'You can do that later, Madam Pomfrey; I don't want you to Apparate to the other side of the world and get Splinched because of us,' Snape said.

'Severus darling, from now on, you'd better start calling me Poppy if you don't want me to tickle you with spells,' she said.

'But…' Snape tried to protest. One glaring look from Pomfrey made him stop.

'Besides, I'm not that old, and I do _not_ Splinch, thank you! Now, Severus, is there anything I can bring you from your quarters?' she inquired.

'No, thank you. I'm not going to start brewing here,' Snape said.

'Why not?' Abby asked.

'I can't brew in Jethro's home!' Snape exclaimed.

'Jethro doesn't mind as long as you don't blow up his house,' Gibbs declared, one corner of his mouth rising.

'I'll bring you a cauldron and the ingredients you'll need for the two potions our little Harry needs, shall I?' Pomfrey said.

As soon as Snape nodded, Pomfrey took her wand and announced, 'I'll be back in an hour.'

She Disapparated, which made Harry giggle.

'One hour,' Gibbs said. 'Just enough time to have Mr Dumbledore tell us what he was planning.'

'I think someone needs help in elementary strategy. That reminds me of the time when I was serving in Egypt,' Ducky said.

'Not now, Ducky, or your new friend will try something to avoid telling us what we need to know," Gibbs interrupted his friend.

'Oh… of course. You're right, Jethro,' Ducky conceded.

'Abigail?' Snape whispered.

She turned to him.

'I don't think Harry should hear what we're going to say,' Snape told her.

'I can go with him in the garden,' she offered.

'Thank you,' Snape said. He was clearly relieved.

His relief didn't last for long because as Abby took Harry from his arms, she said, 'I'll go play with Harry. When he's asleep tonight, you'll tell me _everything_ that you guys said.'

She started telling Harry a very exotic fairy tale that she was making up for him.

Gibbs took a few steps towards a frozen Snape and said, 'There's no escaping her later.'

Snape blinked.

'Now, where do we start?' Ducky asked.

Snape recovered, turned to Dumbledore and said, 'Albus, we need to know everything you know about the Dark Lord.'

Dumbledore sighed, but complied. When he was done, Snape added what he knew of Tom Riddle as Lord Voldemort.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	17. Chapter 17

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

When Pomfrey Apparated back to Gibbs's home, Snape and Gibbs were beginning to make plans to help Harry in order to avoid having a mere boy forced to fight against an adult – and a demented one at that.

'Where's Harry, Severus?' Pomfrey asked.

'Outside with Abigail,' Snape answered.

Pomfrey turned to Gibbs and asked, 'Where do you want me to put Severus's cauldron?'

Gibbs turned to Snape and said, 'When Ducky found your plagiarist, I'd never have imagined that I'd have to find a spot for your cauldron. You can choose either the kitchen or the garage.'

'Is your boat still in the basement?' Jackson asked his son.

Gibbs grinned and nodded.

Pomfrey, who'd been moving away, came back closer to her friends and their new Muggle acquaintances and asked, 'Do you have a boat in your basement?'

'I'm building it,' Gibbs explained.

'How are you going to take it to the water?' Dumbledore inquired.

Gibbs grinned, but didn't answer.

'Men! My late husband was just as frustrating.' Pomfrey grumbled. 'Now, Severus, kitchen or garage?'

'Kitchen, please,' Snape answered.

Pomfrey cast a spell on the cauldron and the supplies that Snape would need and made them float to the kitchen.

'I'll go give Harry a dose of vitamin supplements, and I'll leave the phials with you,' she told Snape.

The men – Muggles and wizards – resumed their talk.

'Albus, you fought in magical wars, and Severus fought, too, but I truly believe that we can bring a new angle to your Voldemort problem,' Ducky pointed out quietly, but inflexibly.

'And Jethro's right, Albus, we must take things in order,' Snape added.

'Putting the cart before the horse is always a waste of time,' Jackson declared.

'We need to locate the Horcruxes first. We'll deal with them then,' Snape said.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and admitted, 'I'm not sure how to proceed.'

'Maybe my team can help,' Gibbs said.

'And you can call the members of the Order. Maybe one of them will have an idea,' Snape told Dumbledore, who nodded. 'Oh, when you Fire-call the Weasleys, do tell Molly that I don't want her help with Harry,' Snape added seriously.

'Severus, you'll have to find a nanny when you come back to Hogwarts,' Dumbledore said.

Snape paled and asked, 'Can't I keep Harry with me?'

'Of course you can,' Pomfrey said as she came back in the room.

Dumbledore glared at his Mediwitch.

Abby was right behind Pomfrey, and she had Harry in her arms.

'It'd be unwise,' Dumbledore said.

'Irma and I could help, and there are dozens of house-elves who'd be delighted to play nannies,' Pomfrey insisted.

'The Board might not allow Severus to keep his ward on the school grounds,' Dumbledore explained.

'Don't be daft, Albus! There's nothing in the rules that forbids the staff to live with their children if they're single parents,' Pomfrey said.

'It works for witches,' Dumbledore pointed out softly.

'You must help Severus,' Ducky told Dumbledore.

'I'll do my best,' the old wizard said.

Severus and Abby traded looks, and the Gibbses and Pomfrey noticed it, but said nothing.

'All right, Albus, we should go back to my house. Mother is certainly talking Mr Palmer to death,' Ducky said.

Ducky really wanted to have a quiet word with Dumbledore – he wanted to help Severus and Harry, _and_ he wanted to understand what made Dumbledore tick.

'We're meeting for lunch tomorrow,' Gibbs reminded Ducky.

'I'll phone Ziva to tell her that your father's here with us,' Ducky said.

'Thanks, Ducky!' Gibbs said.

Harry looked at his adopted grandfather and told him, 'We go picpic tom'rrow.'

Before Snape or Abby could correct Harry, Jackson said, 'A _picnic_, really?! Well, this is going to be fun.'

'Yea, a pic…nic. With Tim, Tony and Miss Ziva, too,' Harry said.

'Doctor Mallard,' Pomfrey said.

'_Ducky_, my dear Poppy,' he interrupted her.

Pomfrey smiled widely and said, 'Right, _Ducky_, sorry. Would you mind telling Miss Ziva that I'll be there tomorrow, I'll come with a few sandwiches and a cake.'

'With whom are you planning to come, Poppy?' Jackson inquired.

Gibbs grinned because his father was voicing the thoughts that he'd had himself.

'Minerva McGonagall. She's working with us, and she wasn't too happy about leaving Harry with the Muggles. I'm sure she'll want to help,' Pomfrey said.

Dumbledore blinked – and paled a bit.

Ducky patted Dumbledore's arm and said, 'Let's go home now.'

Dumbledore nodded, wrapped an arm around Ducky's middle and Disapparated them to Ducky's home.

'If I can't keep Harry with me at Hogwarts, then I'll find another job,' Snape said.

'Severus, you're a brilliant Potions master; you'd have absolutely no problem finding another job in a lab or any hospital – and I could probably help you if it comes to that. You'll be the first single father in the history of Hogwarts, but there's no rule that says that you can't live with Harry,' Pomfrey said. She walked to Snape and pecked his cheek. 'I'll go back to Hogwarts, and I'll Fire-call Minerva. We'll join you tomorrow,' she announced.

'How will you find us?' Jackson inquired.

'Is there a spell for that?' Abby asked.

Pomfrey chuckled.

'Casting a Location spell would be rather difficult,' Snape said.

Pomfrey laughed softly and whispered, 'Difficult unless Minerva has a way to locate Albus.'

'How?' Snape asked, rather surprised.

'You'll have to ask her,' Pomfrey said, and she winked. 'I'll see you tomorrow. The recipes for the potions Harry needs are with the ingredients in your cauldron.'

Then she Disapparated.

Harry understood that there was something strange going on, and that he might be the cause of it. He looked at Snape, and it was obvious that the boy was afraid that he'd be dismissed if his "daddy" thought that it was too annoying to take care of him.

Snape saw the boy's fear in his eyes, and he vowed to make Petunia and her awful husband pay for what they'd done to such a gentle child.

Snape took Harry from Abby's arms and said, 'Everything's fine, Honey. You're stuck with me now… even if we have to move to the other side of the world to stay together.'

'R'lly?' Harry said with a small voice.

Snape held the boy tighter, but not too tight as to not frighten him, and he kissed his brow.

'Yes, Honey. You're my baby, aren't you?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded fervently, but worriedly.

'Then I'll let _nothing_ and _nobody_ get between _us_. Either we go to Scotland together, or we'll move somewhere new. You, Harry, are more important than anything. All right, Honey?' Snape said.

Harry beamed and wrapped his arms around Snape's neck, and Snape caressed the boy's hair.

'If you like teaching, I'm sure there are schools here where you could work. I remember Cynthia telling me that she had foreign teachers, so magical immigration isn't impossible,' Abby said.

Snape laughed and said, 'I hate teaching.'

'Then why did you become a teacher?' Gibbs inquired.

'Albus gave me no choice after my blunder with the Dark Lord. I became Albus's spy; in order to be able to report to him easily, he made me his Potions master,' Snape said.

'If you hate teaching, you should try working in a lab or something else,' Abby said.

Snape took a deep breath. 'It's not that I hate teaching per se, but the schedule is pathetic, and the students don't pay attention. They melt cauldrons or cause explosions because they're not paying attention,' he said.

'Potions class is a bit like chemistry, isn't it?' Abby asked.

Snape nodded.

'And your students aren't paying attention?' Jackson asked.

Snape shook his head. 'I'm not allowed to punish them, except with detentions, not even when they endanger themselves. Albus has always been too lenient,' he said.

'You couldn't complain because he had you on a leash,' Gibbs said. He grinned his Gibbs-grin when he added, 'It's up to you to change things _now_… if you want to.'

Snape blinked with surprise, and he nodded.

'I say Mr Dumbledore is in for a few surprises,' Abby said with a merry chuckle.

'I don't like the way he's planning to help you against Voldemort,' Gibbs told Snape.

'Listen to your _brother_, Kid. He's good in strategy,' Jackson added.

Snape smiled at that.

'Now, I think I remember a wizard saying he could duplicate the guest-room,' Gibbs said.

Snape balanced Harry on his left hip, took his wand, and cast the spell. 'Done,' he announced.

'Really?' Gibbs said, blinking in his turn.

Then, it was Snape's turn to grin. 'Of course,' he said.

'I want to see that!' Gibbs said joyfully.

'We can do that, and then go to the basement have a look at your boat,' Jackson said.

They all smiled and spent the rest of the evening getting to know one another and entertaining Harry.

The little boy fell asleep very soon, and Snape put him to bed; he cast a Monitoring spell that he found in what Cynthia had sent him.

Gibbs and his father ended up in the basement, talking about their family – especially about Shannon and Kelly.

When Snape walked into the kitchen, Abby was inspecting the contents of his cauldron.

'Sev, we need to talk,' she said simply.

He nodded – he nodded even though he was slightly afraid.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	18. Chapter 18

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'I'm not going to bite you,' Abby said.

He nodded again. Strangely, a Muggle seemed to have robbed him of his ability to speak.

'There's one thing I'd really like to know. Harry is just too lost to understand that I'm not his mother or that Gibbs isn't your brother,' she said, looking at Snape intently.

'I know.'

Abby smiled brightly and asked, 'Are you really okay with having me around? I know there are many, many orphans in the world. Harry is just one of them, and he can probably live just with you, but if you let me help only for a few days, and then you leave and I can never see you and Harry ever again… well, I want to be prepared. I'm willing to help, but I don't want to have my heart broken.'

Snape blinked a few times, and then he grinned.

'What?' Abby asked.

'Don't you need to breathe?' Snape teased her.

She pouted and said, 'You know what? I bet you were Gibbs's twin in another life!'

Snape smiled. Abby had been observing him since they'd met, and she was convinced that he was opening up thanks to Harry and his unexpected Muggle pack.

'Brat!' she said.

Just a few days ago, Snape would have hexed any Muggle calling him that, but today, Lily's child was transforming him at the speed of light, and he merely chuckled.

Abby pouted theatrically.

'I've been reading your thoughts, Abigail,' he confessed. 'You're more concerned about Harry than many witches, or wizards, I know. I trust you, and I believe it would be good for Harry to have a motherly presence around. However, I don't want to disturb your life.'

'Silly!' she exclaimed merrily. 'You two won't disturb me! But…'

'But you're living here, and if Madam Pomfrey and Minerva can convince Albus that he must allow Harry to live with me, we'll be in the UK,' Snape pointed out.

Abby nodded several times, her pigtails moving frantically.

'There are always the school breaks. You have school breaks, right?' she asked worriedly.

He smiled again and said, 'Yes, and we're wizards, Abigail. We can use magic to come visit you.'

'I'm always free on the weekends,' she said. She meant to say something else, but Snape saw that she didn't.

'I'll understand if this is too much,' he said.

'It's not that, Sev. I don't want to invade _your_ life. Harry's aunt relinquished her bond with him to you. From a few things you said, and the way your boss is with you, it's clear that you have a lot of people telling you what they want you to do without checking if their plans coincide with yours. I don't want to do that to you!' Abby said.

Snape leant against the kitchen table. 'You're the first to care since…' his voice trailed off.

'You still love Harry's mum, don't you?' Abby said. It was more a statement than a question.

Snape looked at the floor and said, 'I'll always love her. She was my everything. If I don't love her, then I'm nothing.'

He braced himself, almost convinced that Abby would laugh at him.

'Aw, don't curse me, okay?' she said softly as she took a few steps to go hug him.

He tensed at first because the only one to ever hug him had been Lily Evans, and the last time that had happened Snape was still reading at Hogwarts, and Lily wasn't friends with the Marauders. It felt as if his last hug had happened centuries ago, a lifetime ago.

Then, when he invaded Abby's thoughts again, he saw that she really wanted to comfort him and do something nice for him. He started to relax and even hug her back a bit.

'I'm sorry you had to lose her,' Abby said softly.

He tightened his grip and whispered, 'Taking care of Harry and loving him might be my only hope of redemption.'

'I'd like to help, but I don't want to tire you two with trips between here and your school,' Abby said.

Snape chuckled and said, 'Harry's too young to be tired, because I'll be the one Apparating us, and I can do it. Besides, my dear Abigail, there's nothing to prevent a Muggle from being transported by Portkey. I could teach you to use them.'

'Would you?!' she squealed.

'Yes, I would,' he said softly.

She hugged him again and said, 'We mustn't tell Gibbs, though.'

Suddenly, she froze and asked, 'Gibbs's behind me, isn't he?'

'No.'

She sighed with relief and said, 'Good thing Jackson's here, otherwise I bet Gibbs would have joined us right when you said you'd show me how to use a Portkey. It'll have to be our secret, or he'll ask me to not use magic.'

'He could have a point,' Snape said.

'Are you trying to protect me, or could it be dangerous?' she asked.

Snape looked at her; she was still holding him, but not too tightly.

'So, what's bothering you, Sev?' she inquired.

'I… I guess I'm trying to protect you,' he admitted.

'Aww, you're really sweet. Is it because I'm not a witch?' she wondered.

'No, it's…' his voice trailed off and he looked away.

'Sev?'

He shook his head.

'Tell me,' she said gently.

Somehow, Snape just knew that Abigail Sciuto wouldn't leave him alone until he'd said what was on his mind.

'Well, you're the first wi… woman about my age who's been nice to me,' he said.

Abby smiled when he almost said "witch", because it meant that Muggle or not, he didn't really care about the lack of magic in her.

'There's something else,' Abby said softly.

For a brief moment, there was pain and fear in his eyes.

'I can't curse, Sev. I can cut you up in small pieces and make you disappear without a trace, but I can't hex. Tell me,' she said.

He opened his mouth, but closed it again. It was only when she squeezed his arm that he decided to speak. 'Your eyes. I'm sorry, but they remind me of Lily's,' he whispered.

Snape was bracing himself for the slap that he thought she'd give him.

To his great surprise, she hugged him again. 'I'm not going to kick you for that,' she said.

Snape blinked again; that seemed to become a habit of some sort with Abby around.

'I'm sure we can be good friends,' Abby said as she freed Snape.

He answered honestly and said, 'I hope so.'

She looked at his cauldron and asked, 'Are you going to start a potion now?'

He was about to answer positively when the Monitoring spell that he'd cast on Harry went off. He wrapped an arm around Abby and Apparated with her right next to Harry, who was having a nightmare.

.

.

.

McGee was surfing the web, looking for signs of real magic.

Hopping from link to link, he found a forum that mentioned Squibs, and he started posting there.

It turned out that it was a forum for Squibs and for people with magic who were related to Muggles, or were fond of Muggles.

There were only a few people online, but they welcomed the "visitor", who told them what had just happened to him at work.

One witch e-mailed him directly.

"I have the feeling that I know you," she wrote.

"Not impossible, but I work for the Navy," he answered.

"NCIS?" she asked.

"Are you a witch _and_ a Marine?" McGee asked, flabbergasted.

"Nope! Wait a minute, I'll send you a picture of me," she said.

A moment later, McGee clicked on the attached photo in the new e-mail that she'd sent.

He looked at it, rubbed his eyes, and exclaimed, 'No!'

"If you give me your coordinates, I can Apparate to you if you want," she suggested.

McGee had never typed so fast in his life before. He was looking forward to seeing her again.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	19. Chapter 19

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

When McGee started surfing the web looking for magical information, DiNozzo and Ziva were finishing their shopping for their next day's picnic. They decided to change their plans and stay together.

'We don't have to go out, Tony,' Ziva said.

He paled instantly.

'Cretin! I mean that we don't have to go to a restaurant. We could order something and go to your place or mine,' she growled.

'Really?' he asked, instantly looking as eager as a puppy.

'No… I'm pulling your arm,' she said.

'My leg, Ziva,' DiNozzo corrected her.

'Leg? I can assure you that pulling your arm would be much more painful,' she said.

That made him smile. 'I don't mean to invade your place, and I don't want to force you to come to mine,' he said.

'I don't know many things, but if we want this to work, we'll have to talk… honestly,' she declared.

'I don't know how,' DiNozzo pointed out honestly.

'I don't know either, but we can learn together. If you're serious, that is,' she said.

'I am,' he promised.

'You know, Tony. If you tell me what your folks did to you, I'll tell you what mine did to me,' she said.

'That could be a start. This is going to take us a few days, though,' he said.

'Could be weeks,' she argued.

He smiled at that.

'So, who's got the biggest kitchen?' she asked.

They ended up going to DiNozzo's place. After dinner, when the agent of Italian descent and the Mediterranean officer had prepared and packed enough food for a small army, they started talking.

DiNozzo and Ziva talked for most of the night. They talked for so long that they fell asleep on DiNozzo's sofa.

When they woke up, a bit surprised, they decided that they'd get coffee at Gibbs's.

.

.

.

Harry was still asleep and having a nightmare when Snape and Abby Apparated next to him.

Abby turned the light on while Snape gathered Harry in his arms.

Harry was mumbling things about the three Dursleys.

'Wake up, Honey,' Snape said.

'Looks like you'll have to sleep with him,' Abby declared.

'That's what I've done since I rescued him,' he whispered.

'And when you go see his relatives, I really want a piece of the action,' she said. She sat on the bed next to Snape and caressed Harry's brow. 'Wake up, Darling,' she encouraged the boy.

'Mum? Dad?' Harry mumbled, a bit disoriented.

Snape and Abby traded looks. They would have a very long chat with Harry about his biological parents after he's recovered from his stay with the Dursleys. Since they hadn't stopped him when he started calling them "Dad" and "Mum", there was no point in troubling him about it now.

'We're here, Honey. You had a bad dream,' Snape said.

'You've got nothing to fear,' Abby added.

'Don't leave me,' Harry begged with a small voice.

Snape looked at Abby and said, 'I'll start the potion tomorrow, Abigail. I can't leave him.'

'If you cast a Silencing charm and make the bed bigger, I can stay with you two, and we can talk while Harry sleeps,' Abby suggested. 'Cynthia did that all the time when she spent the night at my house.'

'It wouldn't be proper!' Snape said, blushing bright red.

'I'm not planning to do anything with you, Sev!' Abby exclaimed.

'What would Jethro think?' Snape argued.

'Believe me; he knows that I wouldn't try to seduce you in his own guest room. We could talk, plan things, and Harry would be between us. Nothing can happen,' Abby said. 'And I promised not to bite.'

'Please, Daddy!' Harry begged.

Two pairs of green eyes made Snape cave. That was something that Voldemort himself wouldn't have been able to achieve; Snape really began to think that the young wizard he'd rescued and the eccentric Muggle they'd just met could turn his life upside down – and both had magic that didn't require spells, charms or potions. Snape understood that his life had taken a new direction.

'I'll be back in five minutes. I need to take my make-up off and get into my pyjamas. I bet you can spell yourself into yours in seconds,' Abby told Snape.

'I don't sleep in pyjamas,' Snape said, his tongue faster than his brain.

'In what do you sleep then?' Abby inquired with curiosity.

'A nightshirt,' Snape answered.

'Cool! Now, that's giving me X-rated images, but I promise to behave,' Abby said with a bright smile.

'What's "X-rated"?' Snape wondered.

'I'll tell you when the k-i-d is asleep, and you'll have to keep in mind that I'll never do anything that could bother or embarrass you. Okay?' she said.

Abby left the room, rushed downstairs to tell Gibbs and his dad where she'd be, and she ran to her room to get ready for the night. She'd never undressed faster in her entire life.

When she knocked on Harry and Snape's door, Snape was sitting on the farthest side away from the door. He was wearing a grey nightshirt that looked old, but that Abby liked.

'Whoa!' Harry exclaimed when he saw Abby's pyjamas – Muggle non-moving dancing skeletons were printed all over them.

'Thank you, Sweetie,' she said. 'But Daddy's nightshirt's nice, too.'

Snape didn't have to use Legilimency to know that Abby was serious, and she liked the way he looked – that was a first in his life.

'All right, let's slither under the covers. Time for a story,' she said.

'I don't know any,' Snape murmured sadly.

'We'll ask Tony if he's got any old Wizarding books, but for tonight, I think I can come up with something,' Abby said.

Now that Harry had his protectors right next to him, he heard only the beginning of Abby's story before falling asleep again.

'You're amazing, Abigail,' Snape praised her.

'I've got a bit of training, that's all. You've got a very sure instinct when it comes to Harry. You should stop selling yourself short,' she said.

He sighed and said, 'There are things I was taught from birth. Things I have a hard time forgetting.'

'Tell me what happened to you,' she said.

For a couple of hours, Severus Snape poured his heart out. He felt incredibly better afterwards. It was much better than what he'd shared with her through magic.

Abby didn't need as long to give him an accurate summary of her life up to that morning. She told him the most important things; she figured that they'd have time to work on the details.

'And what's the reference you made when you saw my nightshirt?' he asked.

'Can I be direct, or are you going to hex me?' she asked in return.

'I like your honesty,' he said.

'And you can use that spell you already used to see that I'm telling the truth,' she added.

'There's another one I could cast if you don't mind, or I could give you a drop of truth potion,' he said.

'Oh! A potion, please!' she said happily.

'_Accio, Veritaserum_!' Snape said, and a phial flew from the bag he'd packed and put in the corner of the room.

'Is it going to work on me?' she inquired.

'I designed it to have it work on magical people and Muggles alike,' he answered.

'Did you… Did you _invent_ that potion?' Abby asked.

She was so excited that her eyes were twinkling like the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

'That was the potion that allowed me to pass my degree and made me a Potions master,' he explained.

'Whoa!' was all she said.

He gave her an undiluted drop of potion.

He was about to get more than he'd bargained for.

'It doesn't taste bad, but I definitely prefer the Pepper-up,' she said.

'That's not really a surprise,' he said. 'So, what's the reference you made?'

'I know that you're going to be tempted to hex me, because we've just met – and because you're still in love with Lily… But I really find you sexy in that shirt, and…' her voice trailed off.

A blushing Snape asked, 'And?'

'Whoa! I really feel the urge to spill the beans!' Abby said, shaking her head as she tried to _not_ spill the beans.

'That's the idea,' Snape said. 'And?' he insisted.

'I'm not going to do it, because you'd freak out even more than you are right now, but I'd really like to strip you. You're quite sexy, Sev,' she said.

Abby wasn't blushing, because she was comfortable with her declaration. However, Snape had never had a woman compliment him – and be sincere, and not looking for some help or favour.

Snape did something he hadn't done since he was about Harry's age and said, 'Huh?'

'You're so cute, Sev. Would you hex me if I tried to date you?' she asked.

'Why?' he mumbled.

'Because you're exactly my kind of guy, and I really think we could make it work,' she said.

Snape entered Abby's thoughts to make sure that his potion was working. By doing so, he saw himself through her eyes, and he found the experience almost overwhelming.

'So? Will you hex me when I try to convince you?' she inquired.

Snape looked at Harry, who was fast asleep between them.

'I know Harry got into your heart instantly, and I know you'll always love Lily… and I don't mind. I understand, Sev. But maybe there's a spot for me in your heart, too,' she said.

'I… I don't know,' he admitted.

'We've got time,' she declared. 'You don't have to make up your mind in the next five minutes. I'll work on convincing you, and if you decide to hex… just warn me so I can start running, okay?'

He blinked.

'Let's cuddle with Harry and get some sleep,' she said.

They did that, and Harry slept well for the first time in months.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible. It's typed and edited… I "just" need to format it for here)


	20. Chapter 20

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The next morning, the moment Harry began to stir, Snape and Abby woke up.

'Need coffee,' was the first thing Abby said.

Snape smiled because his new friend didn't look like a morning bird – that poor wizard couldn't begin to imagine that as soon as there were a few drops of caffeine in Abby, she'd have more energy than ten nuclear power plants.

After a trip to the bathroom, the three of them went down to the kitchen. Ziva and DiNozzo had just arrived and were putting breakfast on Gibbs's table, while Gibbs took care of brewing coffee.

DiNozzo looked half asleep.

'Morning!' Ziva said joyfully. 'We've got tea for Severus and hot cocoa for Harry.'

'Thank you,' Snape said.

'Good morning, Miss Ziva,' Harry said softly.

Ziva beamed at them.

Abby went to hug her.

'Tony was the one who thought it'd be nice to bring tea and cocoa,' Ziva admitted.

'Thanks, Tony!' Abby said.

'Sit down and tuck in,' Jackson said.

Gibbs piloted Abby to a chair and pecked her brow once she was sitting. Then, he looked at DiNozzo; the young agent didn't look his usual self.

'Anything wrong, DiNozzo?' Gibbs inquired.

DiNozzo growled and said, 'Short night, Boss. That's all.'

'And the lady must have troubled you,' Jackson declared.

DiNozzo looked like a deer caught in headlights. He looked so weird that Harry giggled, which made DiNozzo pout.

Once they were all caffeinated – or chocolated in Harry's case – and fed, they started planning their day. Gibbs called Ducky and told him where they'd go for their picnic; Ducky would be Apparated there thanks to Dumbledore.

They had a few hours to kill – and turns to take in the shower.

'Someone will have to stay with Harry. He's too small,' Gibbs declared.

Abby made Snape – and DiNozzo – blush when she said, 'Since Daddy never was a baby-sitter, I'm going to show him what to do.'

'It wouldn't be proper, Abigail!' Snape protested.

'She's not inviting you into the same bathtub. You can learn from her through Legilimency,' DiNozzo said.

Jackson chuckled heartily.

'Mr Gibbs?' Ziva said.

Gibbs looked at his father, smiled and declared, 'I think Severus's instincts were quite spot on.'

'There's nothing wrong in sharing a tub,' Abby pointed out.

'You're not Japanese, Abby,' Ziva said.

'And it's not proper!' Snape exclaimed. He was rather unhappy with himself because he could feel that his cheeks must be bright red.

'Give the man a break, Abbs! He's British,' DiNozzo said.

Snape almost glared at the Squib.

Harry giggled happily.

'Are you done, Baby?' Abby asked Harry.

The boy nodded.

Abby turned to Snape and asked, 'Do you mind if we go first?'

'Of course not,' he said.

'I promise we'll keep enough hot water for you to wash your hair,' Abby said. 'While Harry and I take a bath, you can talk about the _treasure hunt_ that we must plan.'

Gibbs nodded. Harry followed Abby upstairs.

When he was sure that Abby wouldn't hear him, Snape asked, 'What's wrong with my hair?'

'Potions aren't good hair gel,' DiNozzo answered.

'And you should listen to _Mummy_, Son,' Jackson added.

Snape gaped.

'All right, is there a way to know how many Horcruxes the Dark wizard has made?' Gibbs asked.

Snape was still gaping. Gibbs reacted as if the wizard was a member of his team, and he snapped his fingers right in front of Snape's nose.

'Horcruxes, Severus,' Gibbs said.

Snape focussed on his _brother_ and answered that the spell to know the number and nature of the Horcruxes was borderline Dark.

'Maybe we could ask Dumbledore if he's got a list,' Ziva said.

'Nope,' Gibbs said. 'We'll ask Ducky.'

'Cunning, Boss,' DiNozzo said.

Ziva gave him a muffin, which made him smile warmly.

They planned a few more things for Snape and Harry's stay – and things against Voldemort.

Abby came back with Harry. The boy was wearing a new T-shirt – one of those they'd bought the day before. Abby had donned black denims, which looked like a second skin, and her T-shirt for the day was dark grey with a white bunny with a PDA in its paw on the front.

'The bathroom's yours,' Abby told Snape.

The wizard got up and kissed Harry's brow. DiNozzo felt the magic of a spell, but he didn't say a word.

When Snape was gone, Gibbs asked DiNozzo, 'What did he do?'

'Cast a Protection spell,' Abby answered.

'How do you know?' DiNozzo said.

'Did you read his lips?' Ziva asked.

Abby shook her head.

'It makes sense. He'd be a fool to trust us completely. Magic or no magic,' Gibbs admitted.

'With the life he's had, it makes even more sense,' Abby added.

They all nodded, but Harry was lost.

'Until Sev is done and we can go do some shopping for him and Harry, I should turn McGee's laptop on and put the Totoro DVD in,' Abby said.

'I'll stay with Harry,' Jackson said.

Abby went to prepare everything and placed the laptop on the low table in the living-room. She put the film back at the beginning so that Harry would see a non-blurry version of it.

When Snape joined them – hair freshly washed, the plans for Harry were much clearer.

'All right, let's go. We have a long day ahead,' Gibbs said.

'Could we stop by the Wizarding bank?' Snape asked.

'In fact, we could do most of the shopping in the Quarter,' DiNozzo said.

'Okay, but there are a few things I want to buy. If we don't find them there, we'll hop by a Muggle mall,' Abby declared.

Her NCIS friends knew that when she was caffeinated and that determined, it was safer to comply.

DiNozzo and Ziva went to the car they'd taken to come to Gibbs's place. Jackson went to the front with his son; Snape, Harry and Abby went to the back of Gibbs's car.

Harry was sandwiched between his adopted parents. When they parked near the Quarter, a policeman walked to Gibbs's car.

Out of habit, Gibbs showed the officer his NCIS ID.

The policeman looked about Gibbs's age – and he looked as if he were vaguely related to Gibbs, and there was something military about him.

'You could be the Emperor of China, it wouldn't change the fact that the kid didn't have a seat-belt,' the policeman said.

Abby knew that she couldn't tell him that Snape had put a Security spell on Harry.

Snape started taking his wand from his sleeve, but the policeman had his own wand pointing at the other wizard.

'Don't even think of it, kid; I'm an Auror, too. Why didn't you create the illusion of a seat-belt for your son?' the policeman asked.

'I didn't know I had to. This is our second trip in a Muggle car,' Snape answered honestly.

Harry was trying to hide behind Snape, and the policeman noticed that Harry looked particularly afraid.

'What's wrong with your son?' the policeman asked.

'He was abused by Muggles until I rescued him,' Snape said.

The policeman blinked at that. He took his wand a cast a spell on Snape and Harry.

'Your adoption is valid. I won't give you a fine his time, but make sure you learn the spell to create an illusion for my Muggle colleagues,' the policeman said.

'Yes, Auror Milly,' Snape said.

Milly crouched close to Harry and asked, 'Why are you afraid, kiddo? Is it my uniform?'

Harry shook his head.

Abby caressed Harry's hair and asked, 'What is it, Baby? You know that we work in law enforcement like Officer Milly.'

'T'was Aunt Petunia,' Harry mumbled.

'What did she tell you?' Snape asked very gently.

'That p'licemen should never see me, and I should never be in trouble or they'd tosh me out,' Harry said with a small voice.

'Toss out?' Milly mouthed to Snape.

'Probably,' Snape said with a sad sigh. 'I know her. She treated Harry very poorly.'

Milly looked at Harry and said, 'Your aunt was wrong, Harry. Of course, you must never break the law, but if you need help, you must go see a police officer, or an Auror. Will you do that?'

Harry looked at his parents, who both nodded. 'Yes, Sir,' the boy answered.

'Excellent, Harry,' Milly said.

'May we go, Officer Milly?' Gibbs asked.

'Of course, Agent Gibbs. Piece of advice, though. Stay near your wizard friend in the Quarter,' Milly said.

'I'll make sure no one wanders off,' DiNozzo declared as he joined the group with Ziva. 'Snape will have his hands full.'

'Harry's such an angel. He'll stay near Sev,' Abby protested.

'Yea, but I'm not so sure about you, Abbs,' DiNozzo retorted.

Abby pouted, which made them all laugh.

'Have a good day, and be careful,' Milly said.

They said goodbye, and walked to the entrance of the Wizarding Quarter.

'Won't it be difficult to change currencies for you in an alien bank?' Jackson asked Snape.

'Oh, but I don't need to change Wizarding currencies. The names of the coins change from one country to the other, but the value is the same everywhere. I merely need to ask the Goblins to give me money from my vault in London,' Snape answered.

'Are they really going to give you money from your own vault in London, or are they going to give you coins from here and have them deducted from your account?' Ziva inquired.

'There's a magical device linking all the banks. They'll send an order to London, and the Goblin in charge of my account will go retrieve the money I want and have it sent here,' Snape explained.

'Did you say "Goblin"?' Abby asked.

'Oh, yea!' DiNozzo said. "You'd better be careful about those; they can be really nasty creatures.'

'And they're very powerful, too,' Snape added.

They entered the Quarter, and the Muggles followed the wizard and the Squib.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible.)


	21. Chapter 21

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Abby took DiNozzo's arm and whispered, 'Could I buy something here with dollars?'

'No, Abbs, you can't. Besides, it's unwise to buy Wizarding items when you don't have magic,' he answered.

'It's not for me, Tony!' Abby said. DiNozzo thought that she wanted to buy something for Harry, but she went on, 'I spotted something for Sev a few shops back.'

DiNozzo looked at his friend and said softly, 'You _do_ like him.'

Abby looked at Snape and nodded.

'Perhaps I know a way to help you,' DiNozzo said.

Ziva looked at her friend; now that she knew how he'd really been treated by his parents and his family, she was beginning to understand why he was so aggressive and childish and insensitive sometimes.

Once at the bank, Snape withdrew some money. He also inquired about the account that belonged to the Potters and that Harry had inherited now – not that he planned to ever take even a Knut from it, or allow Harry to use it before he was of legal age or a certified wizard.

'That is none of your business,' the local Head Goblin snapped at Snape.

'I'm Harry Potter's guardian. You must tell me to whom you gave the key to his vault or I'll have you tried by the Wizengamot. They may not like me, but they'll be on _Harry's_ side. What do you think the wizards and witches in the UK would think about you if they knew?' Snape said.

The Head Goblin glared at him and spat, 'Don't threaten us, Snape! If you want to know who has the boy's key, ask your employer.'

'I have the feeling that the picnic is going to be fun,' Jackson declared.

Snape looked a bit peeved to have to ask Dumbledore about the key.

'Don't worry, Severus, I'm sure Ducky will be delighted to help you get the key,' Gibbs said with a smirk that made even the Goblins pause.

'Thank you, Jethro,' Snape said. 'Well, we can go now.'

'I'll take some money, too,' DiNozzo announced.

The young agent produced a golden key and said, 'I'd like one bag of gold coins from my vault.'

The Goblin behind the counter smirked and asked, 'With what spell are you planning to force me to obey you, Squib?'

Before Snape could even take his wand out, Ziva got a knife out and had its sharp tip right on the throat of the Goblin.

'How do you like _this_ spell?' Ziva asked the Goblin with a wide, but cold, smile.

'How dare you threaten one of us, filthy Muggle?!' the Head Goblin barked at Ziva.

Snape pointed his wand at the Goblin who wasn't under Ziva's knife and cast a spell on him.

'How dare you?!' the Head Goblin growled.

The Goblin who had insulted DiNozzo was rather happy not to have been hexed, but his joy lasted only for a few seconds. Two wizards, who were working for the bank, Apparated next to the counter.

'What's going on?' one of the wizards asked Snape.

'These tellers want to prevent Mr DiNozzo from accessing his account,' Snape explained as he pointed one accusatory finger at the two Goblins.

The two Wizarding bankers looked at DiNozzo and understood that he had no magic in him. One nodded at his friend, who nodded back.

'A word with you,' the second wizard told the Head Goblin.

Both disappeared in a flash of light.

The other banker turned to the Goblin and said, 'Give our client what he asked for.'

The Goblin summoned the bag DiNozzo wanted.

The bank wizard apologized by saying, 'I'm very sorry that such a regrettable thing happened.'

'I'm rather used to it,' DiNozzo declared honestly.

'I want you to rest assured that I will _not_ leave it at that,' the bank wizard said with passion.

'You seem to care a lot… as if you felt a connection,' Gibbs pointed out.

'My younger sister never showed signs of magic, and the idea that those creatures,' he spat, glaring at the Goblin behind the counter, 'could do the same to her if she weren't related to me is making me sick. This is not the policy of the Director.'

'Thanks,' DiNozzo said.

The young agent sighed sadly as if he knew that discrimination wouldn't disappear overnight.

'The bag is bank property; you must leave it here,' the Goblin said.

'Go get Mr DiNozzo a travel bag, compliments of the bank, of course,' the wizard said.

The gold coins were transferred to a blue velvet bag that DiNozzo handed to Abby.

'You can have fun shopping with that, Abbs,' he said.

'I'll trade you dollars for your Wizarding money,' Abby said.

'No need, Sweetie. I have tons of those, and I can't use them,' DiNozzo said sadly. 'It's a gift.'

The bank wizard looked at the position of DiNozzo's Wizarding account from over the counter, and he gasped.

'Have we been denying you access to your account for long?' he inquired.

'My grandmother set that account for me, and she helped me access it. She died when I was nineteen, and no one in my family offered to help me with it. My inheritance has been sitting in your vaults for years,' DiNozzo explained.

If looks could kill, the wizard would have reduced the Goblin to a pile of fuming ashes on the ground.

'I am terribly sorry, Sir. My colleague and I just transferred from another agency here. We'll work on a solution to have you access your account without any spell. May I Apparate to your place of residence?' he asked.

'I'm an NCIS Agent; I don't have much free time,' DiNozzo answered.

'Maybe you could come and see him in the evening,' Ziva suggested.

'Of course,' the wizard said. 'May I send an owl, or would you prefer I use the Muggle Post?'

'An owl is fine,' DiNozzo said.

He was sad that most people – or creatures – in the Wizarding world saw him as a sub-creature, but he couldn't help but like the wizard.

'Is there anything else I can do to help you?' the wizard asked.

DiNozzo was about to say "no", but Abby had an idea.

'In fact, another agency seems to have given Harry's key to someone who isn't his guardian,' she said.

The wizard almost whimpered. His job was getting more and more complicated and strange since he'd moved to this agency.

'What happened to his parents?' the wizard asked.

'Daddy?' Harry said with a small voice and clinging to Snape.

'His birth parents were killed by Voldemort, and the other Goblin hinted that Albus Dumbledore might know who has the key now,' Abby explained.

The wizard blinked at Harry, and then at his new parents.

Pointing a finger towards Harry, the wizard squeaked, 'Harry Potter?'

The poor man looked so funny that Harry giggled and nodded.

'May I check that you are the child's legal guardian?' the wizard asked Snape, who nodded.

The spell proved that Snape was who he said, and the wizard proposed summoning the key to the Potters' vault using a special spell invented by an employee of the bank.

A minute later, the key had been brought by magic to Washington and officially given to Snape.

'Anything else?' the wizard inquired.

'Would you grant access to a vault to a Muggle if I decide to allow it?' Snape asked.

'On my wand,' he answered.

'What are you planning?' Ziva wondered.

'If anything were to happen to me, I want the contents of my vault to be open to Miss Abigail Sciuto, and I want her to have Harry's key until he comes of age,' Snape said.

'Sev!' Abby exclaimed.

Snape saw that she was about to protest; he stopped her by saying, 'Better safe than sorry, Abigail.'

They all had to admit that he was right.

The wizard registered the new dispositions for Snape's account, and filled a form for London's Gringotts. Then he wished them a pleasant day.

Back in the Quarter, they did most of their shopping.

At one point, Ziva helped DiNozzo disappear with Abby for a few minutes in order to allow Abby to buy a surprise for Snape. It turned out that it took them just a bit longer because what Abby had spotted was a bad idea, but with DiNozzo's help, she'd found a nice gift. It was far from being as fluffy as she wished, but DiNozzo was absolutely convinced that Snape would love his gift.

Abby decided to wait until they were back at Gibbs's to give Snape his surprise.

They went back to the Muggle side of town, and Gibbs called Ducky to have Dumbledore Apparate them to the park where they'd picnic.

Next, Gibbs called McGee, but from what the others gathered, the conversation was a bit odd.

'What did the kid say?' Jackson asked his son.

'That he'd be Apparated to the park, and that we knew the witch who'd take him there,' Gibbs explained.

'Timmy got lucky online!' DiNozzo said.

'Don't tease him,' Ziva ordered.

'Yes, Ma'am,' he answered obediently.

They drove to the park and got the baskets out of the car trunk and the food installed on one huge blanket when Dumbledore and Ducky Apparated.

McGee was the next to arrive in the arms of a young red-haired witch.

'Officer Rae, welcome,' Gibbs said.

'Are you an Auror, too?' Ziva asked the young officer who'd helped them in one of their cases outside of Washington.

Ruby Rae blushed slightly.

'Yes, in fact, most Aurors here are in Muggle law enforcement, too,' Ruby said.

'Why didn't I feel the magic in you when we met?' DiNozzo asked.

'I was always on duty when you saw me, and then I always cast a spell on me,' Ruby explained.

'Why, Ruby?' McGee asked.

'Because it can be a great advantage against a rogue wizard or witch,' Ruby answered.

'I underestimated you,' Gibbs admitted.

Ruby shrugged and said, 'I didn't really mind. My Auror career is keeping me busy.'

Harry was looking at the new lady strangely, and Snape noticed it. He concluded that Ruby's hair colour must remind Harry of Lily's.

'Harry looks surprised,' Ruby pointed out.

'Your hair must remind him of his mother,' Snape said.

'But Mummy's hair's not like Miss Ruby!' Harry protested.

'Abby's hair is not _really_ black, you know,' DiNozzo told Harry.

'But _my_ hair's black,' Harry said.

'Like your daddy's,' Abby told him.

'Oh,' Harry said. He looked so amazed that he looked even more adorable.

'Miss Sciuto, I can cast a temporary spell on you if you want,' Ruby whispered.

'Call me Abby, and, yes, please,' Abby said.

A few seconds later, Abby's hair was as light red as Ruby's. Snape looked deeply surprised.

As usual, Dumbledore had to put his foot in it and said, 'Now, Severus, she's _not_ Lily.'

Two things happened simultaneously.

Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall Apparated next to Abby just as she growled at Dumbledore, 'Mind your own business, Mister!'

Minerva blinked at the young now red-haired _and_ green-eyed Muggle. She recovered fast and inquired, 'What has he done now?'

Dumbledore flinched; his old friend looked positively furious.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	22. Chapter 22

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'He keeps reminding Sev that Lily's gone. Come one day, that'll hurt H-a-r-r-y, too,' Abby told Minerva. 'For the moment, the k-i-d is too traumatized by the Muggles to really get what's going on.'

Without any spell or charm, McGonagall felt that she could trust Abby; besides, Pomfrey had shared her impressions about the young Muggle with her old friend.

McGonagall swirled towards Dumbledore and said, 'Albus, I was obviously out of my mind when I thought that you knew what you were doing with Harry when you left him with the Dursleys. I will not say anything in front of Harry now, but you and I will have a little chat _after_ the picnic.'

Dumbledore was about to protest, but Ducky patted his arm and shook his head. This time, Dumbledore wouldn't escape a chat with his Deputy Headmistress.

Jackson suggested that it was time for Harry to have lunch, and they all sat down. Plates were passed and sandwiches circulated around the circle.

McGonagall was chatting with Abby, and Pomfrey was quizzing Snape on potions for children and Security spells. The others were talking with Ruby and sharing the latest info.

Suddenly, there was a loud crack – two people had just Apparated next to the picnic party.

Snape paled, took his wand, and took a second to glare at Dumbledore. Auror Alastor Moody and Mrs Molly Weasley had joined them.

Abby noticed Snape's reaction and asked, 'Who are they?'

'Mad-Eye Moody and Molly Weasley,' Snape hissed.

'_Auror_ Moody, Snape!' Moody hissed at the younger wizard.

'What are you doing here?' Abby asked the two newcomers.

'Albus told us that Harry no longer needs to stay where he was before, and I've come to take Harry with me,' Molly declared.

Harry whimpered and started crying silently.

'Look what you've done!' Pomfrey barked at Molly.

'Don't be afraid, Bunny. You're staying with Daddy and me,' Abby told Harry.

The boy was too lost and too afraid to understand, and he kept crying.

Snape put Abby's arms around Harry, and he cast a spell that would make it impossible to separate them until Snape cast the counter-spell. Abby felt what it was for, and she nodded at her Wizarding friend.

Snape got to his feet, faced Moody and Molly and said, 'You will take Harry nowhere. His atrocious Muggle aunt, the woman who abused him with your precious Albus's blessing, relinquished her link with the boy to _me_. He's mine. Now, leave!'

'I'm not leaving James's son with a Death Eater,' Moody growled.

'Harry will be better off with me. We may not have a lot of money, but we're a family,' Molly told Snape.

'And what are we? Christmas pudding?' Abby barked, wrapping her arms tighter around Harry, who was still crying.

'No, Abbs, we don't have magic, so we don't count,' DiNozzo said sadly.

Gibbs jumped up to his feet, and his agents did the same. Ruby followed suit.

'I don't care who you are, but we didn't invite you, and you're frightening Harry. I advise you to do exactly what Severus told you to do and leave!' Gibbs said.

'Not without Harry,' Molly said stubbornly.

'He's mine! He'll never be yours!' Snape shouted.

'Severus,' Molly said as if Snape were still a child, 'you're single, you know nothing about children, and you hated James. I'll take care of Harry as if he were mine.'

'James, James, James! He's Lily's son, too!' Snape protested.

'And after all these years, you still think that she might have liked you,' Moody snorted.

'She _did_ like him,' Abby snapped at the foreign Auror.

Moody glared at her.

'I can take care of Harry, but you can come visit him sometimes,' Molly told Snape.

'How dare you?!' Pomfrey growled.

'Can't you see that you're frightening the boy?' McGonagall added.

'Besides, the Hogwarts staff can take care of Harry when Severus has to teach classes,' Pomfrey said.

'A kid this young can't stay at Hogwarts,' Moody declared.

Ducky elbowed Dumbledore and frowned.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and said, 'Actually, a single parent can keep her or his child at Hogwarts.'

Molly squeaked.

'The child is a Potter, not a snake,' Moody hissed.

'HE'S MY SON!' Snape yelled.

Harry looked at his daddy and hiccoughed, but he stopped crying. Abby pecked the boy's cheek.

'That's enough,' Ruby said quietly as she pointed her wand towards the visitors.

'What do you think you are, little girl?' Moody spat.

'Expelliarmus,' Ruby said softly.

The voice of the young Auror was very soft, but her spell was very powerful, and Moody's wand flew to her.

'Give me my wand back!' Moody ordered.

'Do I have to remind you that we're not in your country? You have no authority. Disapparate whence you came,' Ruby said.

Neither moved.

'Are you deaf?' Ziva hissed angrily.

Ziva was quite fond of Harry, and it broke her heart to see him so afraid.

Ruby may haven confiscated Moody's wand, but he still had his staff. Molly pointed her own wand at Ruby, and the two witches started fighting.

Even though she had no magic, Ziva stood between Moody and Harry. Moody was about to attack Ziva and try to bind all the Muggles with a spell; then, he'd have to manage to get rid of Pomfrey and McGonagall. Once there was only Snape between him and the boy, he'd be free to hex Snape into oblivion.

When Dumbledore had contacted a wizard he knew near Washington to share with the members of the Order of the Phoenix that Harry was back in the Wizarding community, he'd never imagined that Molly Weasley would try to adopt Harry, even though she was already too late to do so. Dumbledore knew how stubborn Molly could be – her stubbornness was quite impressive, and if she'd put her mind to rescuing Harry from Snape, they were all in trouble.

Molly was an astounding witch, but Ruby was a well-trained Auror, and she had the witch gagged and bound a few seconds before Moody tried to hex Ziva.

Pomfrey, McGonagall and Snape were ready to protect Ziva, but Moody found himself as bound and gagged as Molly before any of the British could cast any spell.

DiNozzo's gun was pointing at Moody, and it was red-hot, as if it had stayed in a fire for a long time. The handle turned so hot that DiNozzo had to drop his weapon.

'Oh, Merlin!' Ruby exclaimed.

'What?' McGee asked worriedly.

'DiNozzo cast the spell,' Ruby explained.

Auror Milly Apparated next to the two alien visitors.

'What's going on here?' he barked. He noticed that the magic he'd felt from miles away had brought him to the side of the people he'd met earlier. 'What happened?'

Instinctively, Auror Milly turned to his fellow Auror and got a quick summary of the situation from her.

Auror Milly could feel the strength of Auror Rae's spell – and DiNozzo's; neither Moody nor Molly Weasley would be able to free themselves without external help. Therefore, Auror Milly turned to DiNozzo.

'How do you feel?' the local Auror asked the young Agent.

'Pissed off that they frightened Harry,' DiNozzo admitted.

'Language, Tony. We don't want Harry to pick up bad habits,' Gibbs said.

DiNozzo nodded at his boss, and he turned to Snape.

'I promise to watch my tongue near your boy from now on,' DiNozzo said.

'The situation was quite extraordinary,' Snape conceded.

DiNozzo smiled.

'You didn't really answer Auror Milly,' Ziva pointed out softly.

'There's a nasty tingle in my fingers,' DiNozzo admitted.

Pomfrey instantly moved to his side, and she cast a few spells to help him feel better.

The Mediwitch was about to tell him something, but DiNozzo shook his head. Pomfrey sighed, but she was bound by secrecy.

'What's wrong?' Gibbs inquired.

'Nothing. Anthony will need a few drops of Pepper-up potion to recover from his bout of magic,' Pomfrey lied.

Gibbs knew that she was hiding something, but he'd get the truth from DiNozzo later.

'Auror Rae, Auror Milly, do you need Professor Dumbledore and me around?' McGonagall asked.

'No, Ma'am,' Ruby answered.

McGonagall grabbed Dumbledore's beard and Disapparated with him.

'Oh, my! I hope she'll send him back in one piece,' Ducky said philosophically.

'If she transforms into her Animagus form, he might end up slightly scratched, but I bet Severus has a potion for that,' Pomfrey said.

Ducky blinked at the mention of an Animagus form.

'She can turn herself into a cat,' Pomfrey explained.

'Oh, my!' Ducky said again.

Milly crouched next to Harry.

'Will you make the bad people go away?' Harry asked the Auror-policeman with a very small voice.

Milly wanted to have this baby wizard trust officers of the law, and he knew that he'd have to do something drastic to restore Harry's already badly shaken confidence.

'I promise, Harry,' Milly said. He turned to Ruby and asked, 'In the mood to help me, Rae?'

Ruby nodded.

'Do they have an active Auror somewhere in NCIS?' Milly inquired.

'There must be one. I'll send a call,' Ruby said.

She cast a spell that would inform a fellow Auror, who'd be an NCIS agent, too, that he or she was needed.

It was a witch who answered. Gibbs's team knew her, but not too well. Milly shared his idea with his two colleagues.

The three Aurors cast a spell on both intruders. It protected the link between Snape and Harry, and it would prevent Moody and Molly from trying anything to separate this brand new family.

Ruby freed Molly, while Milly worked on the powerful spell that DiNozzo had cast on Moody.

'Disapparate now,' Auror Milly said.

'Your spell is only valid here, idiot!' Moody growled.

'Why do you think they called me?' the NCIS witch asked Moody with a smirk worthy of Snape.

The two visitors blinked.

'NCIS has jurisdiction all over the globe to protect Navy personnel,' the NCIS witch explained.

'But Snape isn't Navy,' Moody said. He was sneering.

'No, but Abigail is an NCIS agent, and Harry adopted her,' Snape said.

'We'll have your spell and Snape's adoption challenged back home,' Molly said stubbornly.

'_OBLIVIATE_!'

They all turned to the quiet Ruby Rae, who'd just barked the Memory-charm that made Moody and Molly forget that Harry was back, and why they'd come to Washington.

The NCIS witch and Auror Milly grabbed the disoriented wizard and witch.

'Enjoy your picnic, Rae. You've earned it. We'll escort them back to London,' Milly said. He looked at Harry and added, 'You see, we're taking care of them.'

Harry gave him a tiny smile.

The four Disapparated to England.

'Thank you, Auror Rae,' Snape said.

'No need to thank me, Professor. It was a pleasure to help you three,' Ruby said with a bright smile.

Snape turned to Abby.

'Looks like you're stuck with me,' Abby said.

'Thank you,' Snape said very softly.

'You'll have to get used to having people stand by you, little brother,' Gibbs declared.

Snape nodded, and then he freed Abby and Harry from his spell. He crouched to hug Harry – Abby hugged them both, and Snape didn't protest one bit.

'Tony, what's wrong with you?' Gibbs asked his agent.

DiNozzo flinched. There was no way to escape his boss.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	23. Chapter 23

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Boss, I promise there's nothing wrong,' DiNozzo said.

'Are you hurt? You're pale, Tony,' a very worried Ziva said.

'He must have been afraid for you,' Snape said.

That was half a lie, and neither Gibbs nor Ziva were fooled.

'We'll talk about that _later_, if this is what you really want,' Ziva announced.

DiNozzo hoped that he'd come up with a convincing lie by then. He looked at the adult witches and wizard, and they all looked as if they believed that he'd better confide in his friends right now.

DiNozzo sighed deeply.

A very concerned Ducky asked him, 'Is your unexpected outburst of magic more dangerous than you want us to believe?'

'No,' DiNozzo said softly.

'Oh, you can hex me all you want, but I'll tell them if you don't. They're your friends, DiNozzo,' Snape said.

Ziva took DiNozzo's hand; she was obviously worried.

'I'm no longer a Squib,' DiNozzo said by way of an explanation.

'Huh?' McGee said inelegantly.

'Did you lose for good the tiny bits of magic you had, or…?' Jackson inquired.

DiNozzo sighed again and said, 'Or.'

'I don't want to lose you,' Gibbs said instantly.

The young man beamed at his boss. 'No risk. I'm not going to start training at my age, and even if I did…' DiNozzo's voice trailed off.

He looked hurt.

'You should learn basic spells and buy a wand,' Ruby suggested. Before DiNozzo could protest, she added, 'Your signature changed. A witch or a wizard could try to attack you, and your gun isn't meant to channel spells. In fact, you were rather lucky when you protected Officer David.'

'Ziva,' Ziva stage-whispered, which prompted Ruby to wink at the Mossad officer.

'She's right. You should learn elementary spells,' Pomfrey declared.

'My grandmother is the only one I'd have trusted not to laugh at me,' DiNozzo admitted.

'What about me?' Snape asked.

'I don't want to bother you,' DiNozzo protested.

'I'll have to teach Harry, so I might as well practise on you,' Snape deadpanned.

DiNozzo looked at the wizard and chuckled warmly. 'Okay, and I'll baby-sit Harry when you want to go have fun with _Mummy_,' DiNozzo said, nodding towards Abby.

'Deal!' Abby answered.

Snape blushed, and Harry giggled.

'I can help with a few things if you want,' Ruby added.

'Thank you, but I think that taking care of a certain curious Muggle will be a higher priority,' Snape teased her gently.

McGee blushed for the both of them.

Pomfrey looked at Snape, Abby and Harry and sighed.

'What's bothering you? Do you think the two idiots will come back for more?' Jackson asked her.

'Not with the kind of spell that Ruby put on them, no,' Pomfrey said.

'Then what?' Gibbs inquired.

'I bet Poppy's got to be disappointed,' Abby said for her new friend.

The Mediwitch sighed sadly and nodded.

'You see, I've known them both for years. Mad-Eye has always been a tad paranoid, but I'd never have imagined Molly reacting the way she did. It's very strange _and_ upsetting,' Pomfrey explained.

'I'll have to fight a lot of people if I go back home,' Snape said softly. He looked at Harry, caressed the boy's cheek and declared, 'But I'm ready to dice anyone the Muggle way for Harry.'

Harry beamed at his daddy.

'Have no fears, Bunny, we'll take good care of you,' Abby swore.

'Thank you, Mummy,' Harry said.

Ruby understood another thing that was bothering Snape. She smiled at him and confessed something important. 'There's something I must tell you,' she said.

'What?' they all asked.

She smiled at them. 'Well, I'm not just any Auror,' she said.

'You didn't tell me,' McGee murmured.

The youngest NCIS agent was pouting, too.

'Didn't she tell you she's a witch just yesternight?' Snape asked rhetorically. When McGee blushed, Snape added, 'Give her time.'

'What's your speciality?' Pomfrey asked Ruby with curiosity.

'Protection,' Gibbs said.

Ruby nodded fervently.

'What did you add to your spells on the two idiots?' Abby asked.

'Something that guarantees that no one will ever challenge Professor Snape's link with Harry,' Ruby explained.

'How?' Snape asked.

For once, there was a kind of magic that he didn't know.

'It's deep and old magic. As long as you love _your son_, no one will be able to separate you. I'm no expert, but from the way you reacted when your compatriots confronted you, I'd say that you deepened the magical adoption; I merely added a legal dimension to what you did instinctively,' Ruby said.

'And as long as you remain attached to Abigail, our NCIS Auror will keep you protected everywhere,' Ducky added.

Abby smiled at Snape, who was the one to blush a bit this time.

'They're the best things that have happened to you in a long time, Severus,' Pomfrey declared.

Snape swirled towards the Hogwarts Mediwitch and blinked.

'I mean it,' she said.

'I know,' he said in his turn, quite surprise to admit as much in front of witnesses.

Harry giggled again.

'What is it, Bunny?' Abby asked the boy, as she hugged him and tickled him.

'Daddy loves Mummy,' Harry answered.

This time, Snape's blush reached unheard of proportions, and Abby decided to help him by changing the topic.

'Say, Bunny, now that we've had emotions, we should really start our picnic, shouldn't we?' she asked.

Right on cue, Harry's stomach growled.

Ziva and Ruby caught on, and the plates with sandwiches started circulating again.

Snape nodded gratefully at Abby, who just winked.

McGee still looked a bit annoyed that Abby seemed interested in Snape, but Ruby managed to keep McGee busy – without any spell.

Snape was helping DiNozzo understand how magic now flowed through him, and how he'd have to channel it, when McGonagall Apparated back with Dumbledore.

'Are you in one piece, Albus?' Ducky inquired.

'I didn't hex the important bits,' McGonagall told Ducky, which made Dumbledore glare at his Deputy Headmistress.

Ducky chuckled warmly and said, 'How kind of you, my dear.'

McGonagall elbowed Dumbledore – and from the look of her skinny elbows, that had to be painful.

'Um…' the old wizard started, 'I've informed the Board that you'd be returning to school with your ward…' Another encounter with McGonagall's elbow prompted Dumbledore to correct himself. 'With your child. I told them that Hogwarts couldn't afford to lose such a gifted Potions master, and I also added that you'd be allowed to select one of the house-elves for your private service.'

'The school wouldn't be the same without you, Severus,' Pomfrey declared.

'And it'll be great for Harry to grow up with us,' McGonagall added.

'And you can spend the breaks here,' Abby said.

'Or Abbs can hop to your side,' Gibbs told Snape.

'I bet she's accumulated weeks, or months, she can take,' Ruby joked. 'And your NCIS colleague can spell Portkeys.'

'I bet Abby's just like Gibbs, and she's never taken a single holiday from NCIS before today,' DiNozzo joked.

Abby pouted and said, 'Not true!'

Snape opened his mouth, but before he could say anything really silly that would earn him a Gibbs-slap from Abby, she said, 'spending time with Sev and our Bunny will be great. Besides, I'm sure Leon will be happy to see me take a few days off from time to time.'

'Really, Sciuto!' Director Leon Vance exclaimed.

He wanted to make sure that they were fine, and his seer cousin had told him where he could find them.

Abby looked at her boss with puppy eyes and asked innocently, 'Still too soon to call you Leon?'

Harry looked at his mummy and mimicked her expression.

Vance groaned, rolled his eyes, sat down next to Gibbs.

The rest of the picnic was uneventful. Auror Milly hopped by to confirm that Moody and Molly were in London – and still clueless about Harry's new situation.

Vance was called back to NCIS then, and Milly offered to Apparate him there.

After dessert, wizards and witches spelled the remains of the meal back into DiNozzo and Ziva's baskets, and they all stayed together for the day, having fun and getting to know one another better.

In the late afternoon, McGonagall suggested DiNozzo that he buy a wand, but he answered that he wasn't ready just yet.

Snape pointed out that it'd be wise to allow the magic to settle in the young man's system. They'd all go later, another day.

When it was time to head back home, Ruby Muggle-napped McGee, Ducky left with Dumbledore, and all the others were invited to Gibbs's.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	24. Chapter 24

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

It took Snape a flick of his wand to create more rooms to accommodate the new guests, and McGonagall Apparated Ziva to the young agent's place and DiNozzo's in order to pack a few things for their stay at Gibbs's that night.

The end of that day was rather quiet.

There was just one funny episode when Abby told Snape that she'd sleep with Harry and him again that night. It turned out that her belongings had been transported to Snape and Harry's room when the Potions master had rearranged the rooms.

No one commented on that fact, and Abby reacted as if it were completely normal.

When she slithered under the covers next to her new chosen family, Snape opened his mouth to say something.

'Time for a story, my darlings,' Abby declared.

Snape shut his mouth, and Harry settled in the arms of his daddy. Within five minutes, the boy was deeply asleep.

Snape tried to tell Abby something again, but she put her fingers gently on his lips.

'Sev, when there's something I don't like or don't want, believe me, you'll hear me. You'll hear me loud and clear, even if you're in the UK and I'm here,' she said.

He looked completely puzzled and lost.

'Cast the spell that allows you to see what I think if you want. I don't mind,' she said.

Very softly, he said, 'I know what you think, but I have a hard time understanding what you see in me.'

'I see much more than Lily ever did,' Abby said boldly. She smiled and added, 'At the same time, I understand that she'll always be first in your heart, and I get it.'

'You're so strange,' Snape whispered.

'Stop stating the obvious, Sweetie, and cast a spell on the gift I have for you in my shopping bag to bring it here,' Abby said.

'I didn't see you shop!' Snape exclaimed, but not too loudly so as not to wake Harry up.

'Ziva and Tony helped. Now be a good boy and use some magic. We don't want to disturb Harry, do we?' she asked rhetorically.

Snape glared at her, but obeyed and summoned a small, square packet.

'I'd spotted something else, but Tony said you wouldn't like it, and he's got good instincts. I bought you this… I wanted something different, but Tony guaranteed that you'd love it,' she explained.

Snape kept looking at the gift with suspicion.

'Open it! I bet you can cast a few spells to make sure this is not a trap or something silly,' Abby encouraged him.

'I… I trust you,' Snape admitted.

'Yes, but you don't know the shop-owner, and I understand your need to make sure this is not a joke. You're going to need a bit of time to recover from what happened to you. If something bothers or upsets me, I promise to tell you. I'll never start barking at you without a fair amount of warning beforehand,' she said.

Snape made sure that the box wouldn't explode or do something odd – after all, the wizard who'd sold Abby whatever was in the box might well be prejudiced against Muggles.

The gift for Snape was not hexed.

'Open it!' Abby said excitedly.

Snape caved. But then again, how was he supposed to resist?

He opened his gift. In a wooden box he found…

'A Snitch!' he shouted.

Harry mumbled something in his sleep. Snape cast a spell on the child – one that would allow him and Abby to hear Harry, but that would allow them to talk normally without disturbing the boy.

'You're giving me a Snitch?' Snape said.

'Yep, Tony tried to explain _kiditch_, but that was a bit too much. He said boys all want a Snitch… Whatever that is,' she said.

Snape chuckled.

'What?' she asked.

'It's _Quidditch_, Abigail,' he said.

She pouted.

'I'm a bit too old for that,' Snape said softly.

He sounded as if he were sorry to be too old to be given a Snitch, but as if he really wanted one.

Abby was far from being deaf, and she heard what he didn't say.

'Well, are you too old to play with Harry? If that game is as important as Tony said it was, you'll have to teach Harry, won't you?' she asked.

Snape looked at Abby with even more respect than usual.

'I do have very good ideas,' Abby stated.

'Apparently,' Snape deadpanned.

'So… do you like your surprise?' she inquired.

Snape looked at the golden ball in its box, and he realized that no one had ever given him something as nice. Suddenly, a wave of emotion submerged him, and he couldn't say a single word.

'Sev?'

Snape saw that she looked worried, and he didn't like being the one doing that to her.

'Abigail, this is the most beautiful gift I've ever received,' he said.

'So… do you like it?' she asked.

He nodded fervently, which made his semi-long hair fly in disorder.

Abby snaked one hand over Harry's sleeping form, and she pushed one rebellious lock behind Snape's ear. She caressed his cheek gently, leant over towards him and pecked his cheek.

'I still want to find something fluffy to give you, but I'm happy you like this ball,' Abby said.

Abby's lips felt electric, and he blinked with surprise.

'Erm, Sev… what does it do? Tony tried to explain, but he wasn't clear,' she said.

Delighted to be provided with a distraction, Snape said, 'I can show you if you want.'

Abby nodded happily, and a few seconds later, a Snitch was flying around them.

Snape caught it very easily – so easily that the wings of the Snitch flapped against his hand in an attempt to escape.

'Could I catch it?' Abby asked.

'I don't know, but we can always try,' Snape said playfully as he freed the Snitch again.

Protected by Snape's Silencing spell, Harry kept sleeping as his adopted parents jumped up and down, trying to catch a golden, flying ball.

Gibbs, Ziva and McGonagall were planning what they could do to the Dursleys when they'd pay them a visit, when they heard some commotion, or so they thought, in Harry's room.

They all went to investigate, and when Gibbs knocked and then opened the door, the Snitch escaped.

'Really, Severus, I'm disappointed,' McGonagall said. However, her grin showed that she was just teasing her young fellow. 'A wizard should always fly to catch a Snitch,' she said.

'Not when he's playing with a Muggle,' Snape retorted.

'Can I try, too?' Ziva asked.

Snape cast a spell to prevent the Snitch from flying outside, and then he said, 'Be my guest.'

Ziva darted away as fast as the golden ball.

Snape pointed his wand in the direction the Snitch had taken, but McGonagall slapped his hand playfully.

'Where's the fun in summoning it with magic?' McGonagall asked rhetorically.

'Jethro, do you trust me?' Snape asked.

'Yes,' came the instant reply.

Snape beamed at his "brother" and asked, 'May I borrow a broom?'

As soon as Gibbs nodded, Snape summoned a broom that flew to him; one spell later, Snape was flying on it and chasing the Snitch against Ziva. Abby sided with Ziva, but the efforts of both Muggles drove the Snitch towards Snape.

DiNozzo wanted to help Ziva. His newly found magic made the old broom that Gibbs kept in the basement fly up to him. Instinct took over, and soon, Snape _and_ DiNozzo were flying inside the house to catch a Snitch.

'They're happy,' Jackson told his son.

Gibbs looked at his friends and guests and nodded.

Side by side, the two young wizards flew and… Ziva caught the Snitch.

'The Muggles win!' Abby shouted happily.

Snape and DiNozzo landed and bowed to Ziva, who curtseyed very elegantly.

In the next second, their good mood was ruined when a witch Apparated into the room without being invited.

McGonagall, Pomfrey and Snape pointed their wands at the newcomer.

DiNozzo paled dangerously and gasped, 'Mother.'

'Anthony,' Mrs DiNozzo said coldly. 'Always a disgrace, I see.'

Gibbs wanted to ask Snape to immobilize the unwelcome witch; however, Mrs DiNozzo's behaviour reminded Snape of his own father, and he didn't wait for Gibbs's authorization to freeze the witch.

'Excellent, Severus!' Gibbs praised the younger man sincerely.

'What an unpleasant woman!' Jackson exclaimed.

Ziva, Snape and DiNozzo seemed to feel linked because of similar family experiences, and they moved to be closer together in the living-room.

'Either we Memory-charm her and get rid of her, or we allow her to speak,' McGonagall stated. Her approach was logical.

'She wants to tell me what a shame I am to our family. She's so disappointed that I didn't show signs of magic twenty-five years ago,' DiNozzo said.

His mother glared at him.

'What do you want us to do, Tony?' Gibbs asked gently.

DiNozzo shrugged.

'She might have something of interest to say,' Jackson pointed out.

Snape looked at his two witch friends and asked, 'Minerva, Poppy, do you mind if I do it?'

'Severus, you're much younger than we are. You'll be faster than any of us,' Pomfrey said.

'Do help Tony,' McGonagall said.

Snape walked to Mrs DiNozzo and said, 'Try any tricks, and I'll turn you into dragon food – in pre-chewed state.'

Snape loosened his spell a bit.

'Why did you locate me, Mother? You disowned me years ago,' DiNozzo said.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	25. Chapter 25

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Mrs DiNozzo snorted and said, 'I cast a permanent Location spell on you when you started walking. I didn't want to have to be bothered about your whereabouts.'

'And why did you re-activate it today of all days?' DiNozzo inquired suspiciously.

'Because you're a wizard, and I wanted to see you. I'm your mother, Anthony,' she said, trying to sound nice and loving.

'She's lying,' Snape and Gibbs stated in synch.

Both looked at each other; they were slightly surprised to have reached the same conclusion.

'There are spells that can be used to assess if she's being truthful,' DiNozzo declared.

'Why waste a spell when you have a Potions master right here?' Ziva said quietly.

Gibbs chuckled warmly at that; it seemed that Ziva was adapting rather fast to magic, now that she'd overcome her initial shock and mistrust.

'If your Potions master isn't an Auror as well, I will take him to a court of law if he does anything to me,' Mrs DiNozzo said with a nasty smirk.

'McGee's going to hate it, but let's call him and have Ruby come here. She'll help us,' Gibbs said.

Two minutes later, Ruby Apparated with McGee in tow, and Abby had brought the phial of Veritaserum that Snape had stored in the chest of drawers in the bedroom.

Mrs DiNozzo tried to have Auror Rae free her, but since DiNozzo's mother, when she Apparated into a Muggle house, had committed a crime, Ruby was in no hurry to undo the spell on the unpleasant witch; besides, her instincts were telling her that there was something fishy.

'With one drop of this potion, she'll tell us everything we want to know,' Snape told Ruby, showing his phial.

'What is it?' Ruby inquired.

'Veritaserum,' Snape said.

Ruby blinked with surprise. This potion was mostly used in Europe, and she'd only read about it.

'Sev invented it,' Abby said proudly, which made "Sev" blush.

'You can't imagine how happy I am that Tim and I started chatting on the forum! I wouldn't miss this for all the tea in China!' Ruby exclaimed.

McGee smiled and asked, 'Can you get the truth from Tony's mother, then?'

'The problem is that I can only administer potions that are mine,' Ruby said.

'Do you have to brew them all?' Pomfrey inquired.

'No, I can buy them, but a few drops must be kept in case there's a trial and we need an analysis', Ruby answered.

'What money do you have in your pockets?' Snape asked the young Auror.

'My purse is at Tim's. All I have is…' she said as she checked the contents of all her pockets. She announced finally, 'Two coins of the smallest Wizarding denomination.'

'Sold,' Snape said.

He took the two coins, _Knuts_ for him, and handed her the phial of potion – the phial alone was fifty times more expensive.

Snape didn't care for the monetary value. He wanted to help his new friends and legally find out what Mrs DiNozzo was planning.

Mrs DiNozzo didn't want to cooperate, and Auror Rae had to administer the truth serum using a spell.

'Why did you come here tonight?' Ruby asked Mrs DiNozzo.

The witch fought against Snape's potion, but she was compelled to tell the truth.

'I wanted to cast the hex again before… before he discovers the truth about my mother and the rest of the family,' Mrs DiNozzo said.

'What hex?' Ruby asked, taking things in order.

Then, Mrs DiNozzo explained that her son, if he had magic, was supposed to become the heir of her own mother and many other family members who didn't have descendants. Mrs DiNozzo had married her Muggle husband because he was very rich, and being linked to him allowed her to learn what she needed to know about Muggles in order to be able to start investing in their businesses.

Being a witch, she knew that she'd probably outlive her husband, and most of their wizarding relatives were already dead.

In order to keep all the money, Mrs DiNozzo had hired a warlock, who had cast a hex on Anthony when he was just a baby. His magic should have remained blocked forever.

'I have a permanent Location charm on the brat, and the warlock added a little something to his hex. When the bloody thing exploded this afternoon, it warned me. I didn't expect the brat to be surrounded by trained witches and wizard,' Mrs DiNozzo said.

DiNozzo was paler than a shroud.

'You were the one responsible for his lack of magic, and yet, you've made his life miserable!' said a new voice.

'Mother!' Mrs DiNozzo exclaimed.

At least, the petty witch had the decency to be surprised when she saw the apparition of her own mother, Anthony's loving grandmother.

'Ghost?' Jackson asked Pomfrey in a whisper.

Pomfrey shook her head and said, 'Something else.'

It turned out that Tony's grandmother was merely a momentary echo of the old witch.

Auror Rae arrested Mrs DiNozzo and called for back-up.

When Gibbs told the other Aurors that they'd met Milly, they called their colleague.

'I should have known it,' Milly said good-naturedly when he Apparated into Gibbs's living-room.

'What?' Gibbs asked him.

'That we'd meet again,' he said. He paused theatrically and added, 'And that we're practically neighbours. We're four blocks down the street; the green house on the corner.'

'You're welcome to come over if you need anything,' Gibbs said.

'I just might,' Milly said amiably.

'Disgusting,' Mrs DiNozzo spat bitterly.

'Oh, I'm sure the Spirits of the prison of ThingThing will be delighted to keep an eye on you after your trial,' Milly told Mrs DiNozzo.

'You can't arrest me!' she shrieked.

'There's breaking and entering,' Abby started.

'You hurt your own child with a Dark spell,' Snape went on.

'And you meant to renew it,' Ziva growled.

'She also intended to steal from her own husband and to take the money the kid should have inherited,' Jackson added.

'How does Wizarding justice work?' McGee asked Ruby.

'She's going to be taken to Court right now. My testimony is going to send her to jail for good,' Ruby explained. 'I'm sorry, Tim, but I must stay with her since I was the interrogating Auror.'

'You can Apparate back to my place when you're done,' McGee said. 'Well, if you want.'

'Don't be silly, we'll ask Severus to add two more rooms, and you'll both stay with us,' Gibbs said. He turned to Snape and asked, 'Could you do that?'

Snape flicked his wand and grinned.

'Done?' Jackson inquired.

'Yes, Sir,' Snape answered.

'You're not in the army, Severus. Use my name, or do like your elder brother and call me "Dad". We've got to be consistent between ourselves for the sake of Harry,' Jackson said.

Snape nodded; he'd do his best to call the old Muggle "Jackson" from now on.

All the Aurors but Milly Disapparated to the Wizarding Courthouse with Mrs DiNozzo.

'Would you like me to go see your father?' Milly asked DiNozzo.

The young agent shrugged.

'He wasn't the best Muggle ever, but now that I see what my own daughter did to my grandson, I wouldn't put it past her to have done something to the poor man, too,' the spirit of Tony's grandmother said.

'You do have a point,' Milly granted.

The spirit told him where he'd find the Muggle DiNozzo, and Milly promised to come back with news within the hour.

Once he'd Disapparated, the spirit turned to Pomfrey and McGonagall and said, 'I need your help, ladies.'

The spirit whispered something to the witches.

'I don't mind, but you're no longer a witch with a human body. You need to channel the spells,' Pomfrey pointed out.

The spirit looked at Snape, who growled, 'I am not a witch.'

'I'm sorry, my dear,' the spirit apologized. 'I've been granted just a few moments to come give Anthony what should be his by right.'

'What can we do to help?' Abby asked.

'Would you allow me to borrow your body?' the spirit asked.

Snape grabbed Abby by the waist, swirled her behind him and said, 'No way.'

Abby was about to start protesting, but Ziva said, 'I'll do it.'

The spirit immediately entered the young woman.

Pomfrey, McGonagall and the possessed Ziva formed a circle around DiNozzo, and his grandmother channelled all the secret magic inherited from their ancestors into the young man. He would know where to find the enchanted caches in the properties that his Wizarding outburst had made legally his, according to the magical laws of the country; he could access all the family vaults in the Wizarding bank, and everything that should have been his years ago became accessible, thanks to his grandmother's spell.

Even if DiNozzo's mother found a way to escape the Aurors, there was no way that she could deprive her son of what was legally and magically his now.

When the Heritage spell and the Protection spell were cast, the spirit evaporated.

Snape summoned the phial of Pepper-up potion and gave a few drops to DiNozzo and Ziva.

Pomfrey cast spells on them both and sent them to bed.

'Don't talk for too long!' the Mediwitch instructed them.

DiNozzo and Ziva held each other, nodded and went to one of the new rooms to get some rest. They wanted to talk about many things, but DiNozzo was exhausted, and though Ziva had planned to guard his sleep, she was hit by a Sleeping spell sent by Pomfrey.

Abby took Snape's hand and dragged him back to their room.

'I think we were planning our trip to the Dursleys when the kids interrupted us with a Snitch,' McGonagall stated.

'I think we can resume our planning over a drink of something,' Jackson said.

'Great idea, Mr Gibbs,' McGee said.

Gibbs wrapped an arm around McGee's neck and said in his ear, 'Use his name, or he'll kick your knee.'

McGee smiled and said, 'Okay, Boss.'

Gibbs served Bourbon to everyone, and they resumed their anti-Dursleys pow-wow.

In the meantime, Abby was growling at Snape. 'Why did you decide for me?' she demanded to know as she closed the door of their bedroom behind them.

Snape pointed a finger towards Harry who was still asleep and still protected by the Silencing charm. 'If you mean to be a mother to this child, then it's my job to protect you, too! What DiNozzo's grandmother wanted from you was potentially dangerous. It could have left Ziva stuck with the spirit inside her. That wasn't Dark magic, but close enough. I wasn't risking your life so that DiNozzo could access the family vaults at the bank and other trivial things. That's just money!' Snape barked.

'Did you protect me only because of Harry?' Abby asked.

Snape was so angry and frightened that his tongue moved before his brain could warn him that he was about to spill the beans. 'Of course not! There's Minerva and Poppy to help me with Harry's magical education. I don't want you to be hurt, Abigail. No one has ever been as nice as you've been to me. Not even Mama… not even Lily,' he finally admitted very softly.

'So, you protected _me_, just for the sake of protecting _me_,' Abby insisted.

Snape nodded once.

Abby jumped into his arms and hugged him. Snape was beginning to get used to Abby hugging him.

He didn't tense when she stood on tiptoe and pecked his lips.

Since he didn't protest or hex, Abby kissed him again – only it was a real kiss this time. Snape followed her lead and simply enjoyed his first kiss.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	26. Chapter 26

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Abby stopped kissing him, and she caressed his cheek lovingly.

'I'm asking Gibbs to keep an eye on Harry as soon as everything's settled with Dumbledore, with your job and with the future magical sitters at Hogwarts for Harry,' Abby declared.

'Why?' Snape wondered.

'I'd like to wizard-nap you and go on a date with you somewhere,' she said.

'All right,' Snape said obediently.

Abby took two steps away from Snape and said very seriously, 'Let's go back to bed with Harry between us, or I'm going to do very nice things to you, but things that you're not really, fully ready for.'

'All right,' he repeated.

'Are you okay, Sev?' she asked worriedly.

'Yes, Abigail. I must admit that I'm a little surprised, but this is nice,' Snape said with the faint ghost of a smile on his lips.

Truth be told, he was still a tad afraid that she'd start laughing and tell him that it was a prank. However, she looked so concerned about him, and she'd been so enthusiastic just a moment before, that he really started to believe her.

She was so happy that he'd practically agreed to a date that she beamed at him.

They settled back in bed; Harry was snoring softly between them.

Snape looked concerned.

'What's on your mind, Severus?' she asked gently.

'I'm afraid that this is a dream, and I'll wake up alone and hated,' Snape admitted.

'Sweetie, you're going to wake up, and I'll be right next to you. You know, if you don't toss me out of your life, you're stuck with me,' she promised.

'Why would I want to hurt you?' Snape asked.

'Relationships can turn bad. I've been dumped before,' she said.

'Why?' he wondered. 'I lost Lily because I insulted her, and… we were just friends, in fact.'

Abby told him how the few serious relationships that she'd had had ended with her boyfriends leaving.

Snape listened quietly. However, Abby's latest failed attempt at a relationship made him react quite strongly.

'He left because he found that you were too tall?!' he asked.

'Something like that,' she said sadly. 'There's Tim, too. We're no longer on the same wave length, and I don't know why.'

'It's complicated,' Snape said.

'Maybe not. Maybe the key is good communication and trust. Of course, I can't put a spell on you to see what you think or make you tell me the truth, but I think we should try to be honest and talk about even the tiniest things that could bother us,' she suggested.

'I can give you a phial of Veritaserum if you want,' he said.

'I don't think we should use magic for _us_, Sev. We should talk and trust each other,' she said.

Snape almost squeaked at that.

'Sev?'

He gulped and explained, 'I heard Lily tell that to James when they started dating, and it seemed to work.'

'Then we'll try that,' Abby said.

Snape looked at her and said, 'I'd like to re-spell your hair black. You're not Lily, and I should stop clinging to the memory of the witch she was.'

Abby almost melted on the spot.

'You're sweet, but I think we should wait a day or two for our baby,' she said.

'Why?' he wondered.

'Because Harry's memories are surfacing, and he's beginning to be a bit more confident.'

'James and Lily must be shadows in his memories,' Snape said. 'He must really think that we're his parents.'

'I bet psychologists would give you some very pretty explanations, but I have a friend who was orphaned; she told me that she truly believed it when she "adopted" people to replace those she'd lost. For Harry, we're his dad and mum for the moment,' she said.

'We can always tell him everything about Lily and James when he's older,' Snape agreed.

'We'll tell him everything about his birth parents, but now he's ours,' she said fiercely.

'You _do_ love him,' Snape stated.

'I love you both.'

Snape beamed at her. He leant towards her, over Harry, and kissed her cheek.

Harry opened one sleepy eye at that moment, and he giggled in his half-sleep; life outside of the cupboard was definitely much nicer.

.

.

.

The new Snape-Sciuto-Potter family slept like logs.

Harry was the first to wake up – long after _Uncle Jethro_ had already finished his breakfast (i.e.: his third cup of coffee). The boy thought that _Mummy_ and _Daddy_ looked too cute, and he managed to leave the bed and the room without waking up the adults (_that_ was about to teach Snape to always cast a spell on his son to make sure Harry wouldn't wander away and potentially find himself in danger).

Harry went downstairs for breakfast, and Gibbs, Jackson, McGonagall and Pomfrey took care of him.

McGee and Auror Rae had talked a lot last night and were still asleep. DiNozzo was exhausted, and Ziva was still under Pomfrey's spell.

Snape and Abby moved in their sleep, and they were holding each other when they finally woke up.

It would have been quite funny to be a fly on the wall when they woke up. They hugged each other, said their "Good mornings" and realized that Harry wasn't with them.

They both panicked quite nicely and ended up rushing downstairs.

McGee, Ruby, DiNozzo and Ziva were making their way towards the kitchen when they were pushed aside by, as DiNozzo loved to describe it later, two very nice live impersonations of crazy Roadrunners (by the way, DiNozzo had to duck Snape's hex after Abby had explained what the Roadrunner was).

Very quietly, when Snape and Abby ran into the kitchen, McGonagall said, 'Location spell, next time.'

Snape groaned and said, 'Of course.'

'Rome wasn't built in a day, Severus. You'll have to learn the ropes,' Pomfrey added.

'She's right,' Jackson said.

'But I should know better!' Abby wailed.

'Perhaps you're the Empress of baby-sitters, Abbs, but this one is _yours_,' Gibbs said, pointing to Harry.

'Yes,' Abby said as she almost glided to Harry's side.

'Morning, Mummy!' the boy said.

'Good morning, Bunny!' she answered.

Harry turned to Snape and said, 'Morning, Daddy!'

'Good morning, Honey,' Snape answered.

'Jethro, Dear, would you like a bit of magical help to serve breakfast to our young friends?' Pomfrey asked.

'That'd be welcome. I'm not used to having so many people to feed,' Gibbs said.

'Shannon could feed an army quite easily. She told me about a few parties that she'd organized after you moved to the base where she had Kelly,' Jackson said.

'She was very gifted,' Gibbs said sadly.

Jackson told his son something that he'd never dared to say before, 'She'd hate to see you so sad.'

'They left a hole in my heart,' Gibbs admitted.

'Maybe you need a bit more time to heal,' Ziva said softly.

Gibbs looked extremely sad and empty when he said gently, 'It's been over a decade. How long will it take?'

'There's no deadline to mourning and pain, Jethro. Each day brings a bit of healing,' Pomfrey said.

Gibbs looked at the Mediwitch, and the looks they traded told him that she knew what she was talking about. He nodded once.

The three young couples-to-be were served breakfast thanks to a few spells.

Long before most of them had finished, Ruby announced that she had to go report to the Wizarding Courthouse in order to take Mrs DiNozzo to jail.

'Couldn't Auror Milly do that?' McGee inquired.

'No, Tim, it's a bit like a chain of custody. I'm sorry. The verdict must be registered by now, and the hexes that Milly found on Tony's father, plus what she did to Tony, guaranteed that Mrs DiNozzo would be condemned to be shipped to ThingThing very quickly', Ruby said. 'I can Apparate to see you later, you know. That's the advantage of being a witch.'

McGee smiled.

'I didn't know that Sing Sing was a Wizarding jail, too,' Abby said.

'Not the Muggle Sing Sing. _ThingThing_. It's guarded by very interesting and powerful Spirits,' Ruby said.

'Miss Ruby, you've lost the Muggles, here, I'm afraid,' Jackson said.

'Why? ThingThing is near Boston, while the Muggle Sing Sing is in the state of New York,' Ruby said.

The others still looked so puzzled that she took her wand and drew a map in the air with trails of sugar. Then she picked two colours to differentiate the Muggle jail and the Wizarding one.

'Now, I get it!' Jackson exclaimed joyfully.

'Will Tony's Dad be okay?' Abby asked Ruby.

'Yes, my colleague saw to it. He seems really sorry to have fallen under the spell of Tony's mother,' Ruby said.

DiNozzo snorted.

'He must feel terrible about what your mum did to you,' Abby told DiNozzo.

'Milly Owled me; I got the message when I got up. My father is sorry that he fell into the clutches of my mother. He never cared for me much,' DiNozzo said. He sighed deeply and added, 'Only my grandmother was really happy that I was born.'

Ziva patted his hand clumsily, which made him smile at her. They both had twisted families; if they ever got together, nothing that they'd do could ever be as bad as what their parents had done.

'All right, before we plan anything for today, I'm giving Tony a full Wizarding physical,' Pomfrey said.

'And we should hop by the Quarter to buy Tony a wand. He'll need a bit of training, but in case of emergency, his instincts would take over,' McGonagall declared.

'And then we finish planning our joined trip to you-know-who you-know-where,' Gibbs added.

'Gibbs! You're being cryptic!' Abby protested.

'I think he's talking about that thing we all want to do regarding the D-u-r-s-l-e-y-s,' Snape said.

Gibbs's evil grin was answer enough.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	27. Chapter 27

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

When Pomfrey was done examining DiNozzo, she told him that she could erase the last traces of what the plague had done to his lungs. He was reluctant to use magic, but the prospect of being fully healed, and of being able to perform his job normally for longer than he could expect for the moment, convinced him in the end.

Snape offered to brew the potion that DiNozzo needed, and he added that he could go buy the ingredients in the Quarter, while DiNozzo went to buy a wand.

'Shouldn't we include Ducky in all this?' Abby asked.

'He's been great to me,' DiNozzo said as he took his phone and called the ME.

DiNozzo shared Pomfrey's conclusions with Ducky, and the older man's answers seemed to amuse DiNozzo quite a lot.

When DiNozzo closed his phone, he chuckled.

'What's so funny?' Jackson asked.

'Ducky almost ordered me to do whatever I could to heal fully, and he told me he was keeping Dumbledore with him for the rest of his stay,' DiNozzo said.

Abby chuckled softly, but McGonagall laughed heartily.

'The next school year should be interesting,' Pomfrey stated merrily.

'For once, it'll be nice to look forward to a hopefully happy Albus,' McGonagall said.

'Let's hope Mrs Mallard doesn't drive Dumbledore nuts before the end of the week,' DiNozzo said softly.

They all chuckled.

After breakfast, they went shopping in the Quarter.

The local wand-maker had been expecting DiNozzo's visit. First signs of magic in adulthood were extremely rare, but the trial of Mrs DiNozzo had been highly publicised in the local press.

McGonagall helped DiNozzo find his first wand. The wand-maker provided DiNozzo with the kind of wand-sheath that local Aurors use to protect their wands.

DiNozzo was convinced that it would take him a bit of time to get used to having his wand strapped on his forearm, but Ziva told him that it was as if he had a hidden knife and that she was sure that he'd get used to the extra "weapon" within a week.

When they got out of the wand shop, those who had gone with DiNozzo went to the potions supplies shop, where they found Snape and Abby teaching Harry the names of plants.

'Isn't he a bit young?' Ziva asked.

'He is, but when he grows up, all those things will be familiar,' Gibbs said.

Snape and Abby smiled at him.

Harry pointed at a jar with dried leaves and said, 'Bunny.'

Snape blinked, and then fought not to laugh heartily. When he controlled his chuckle, he said, 'No, Honey; "bunny", that's _you_ according to Ab… to Mummy. That plant is called burnet.'

'Burnet,' Harry repeated with care.

'I use it in salads,' Abby declared.

Snape pretended to snort and said, 'I'll show you what you can do with it.'

Abby bounced, Harry giggled, and their friends smiled happily.

That day, they explored another part of town, but while the adults entertained Harry in turn, they planned what they wanted to do to the Dursleys.

There would be two visits; one Wizarding, the other organized by the Muggles.

That night, Jackson was the one who told a fairy tale to Harry, Harry who never suspected anything about his _family's_ trip to England and would have to be told about _that_ adventure years later – when he was a teen.

The entire pack of Harry's protectors made the most of the time difference between Washington and Little Whinging.

They all Portkeyed to London, where Gibbs and his team met the Muggles who would help them, and then McGonagall, Pomfrey and Snape Apparated to the Dursleys.

Petunia and Vernon Dursley recognized Snape instantly, and they both tried to shield their son from the "bad" witches and wizard.

'Who they?' young Dudley asked with his mouth full of his breakfast porridge.

'No one, Duddikin,' Petunia said.

'Leave my home immediately!' Vernon growled. 'We gave you the little monster. You have nothing to do here.'

'Arry?' Dudley asked.

Pomfrey looked at the Muggle boy and asked his parents coldly, 'Are you going to feed your child until he explodes?'

'How dare you?!' Vernon barked.

'The brat must have got used to eating his share, plus Harry's,' Snape spat.

'We were forced to take in the brat! We should have shipped off him to an orphanage!' Vernon complained.

'That _child_ was a hindrance,' Petunia snarled.

Very coldly, Snape said, 'Harry is Lily's son, Petunia.'

'So what?' the Muggle asked.

This time, Snape sighed deeply. 'I remember a time when you weren't so bitter. You lost your sister, and what did you do when you were given the opportunity to love and take care of her son? You abused him, and you ended up locking up that poor child in a cupboard,' Snape said.

'The child is a freak like her and that husband of hers who got them killed,' Petunia said.

McGonagall snorted.

''Ow dare you?' Dudley told the witch.

The child was obviously mimicking his parents.

McGonagall pointed her wand at the child, but only to indicate that he was the one she was talking about. 'Magic flows in your veins, Mrs Dursley. Your sister showed signs of magic, and you did not, but your offspring could become a wizard,' she declared.

'My son isn't a freak!' Vernon barked.

'I beg to differ,' Pomfrey said with a smirk.

Petunia and Vernon glared at her.

'It would be poetic justice if the brat became like us, or if his children did,' McGonagall declared.

'Provided that it doesn't have a heart attack before it turns ten,' Pomfrey pointed out.

'OUT!' Vernon yelled.

'Not before we've cast the spell we came for,' Snape said icily.

'You can't do that! Lily explained that you can't put spells on Muggles,' Petunia protested.

'You just forgot that Lily, and James, had quite a lot of friends at our Ministry, and we managed to get an authorization,' Snape lied.

Vernon turned red, Petunia paled drastically, and Dudley looked completely at sea and blinked stupidly.

The three visitors pointed their wands at the Dursleys and said a very complicated spell.

None of the Dursleys felt anything.

'What have you done to us?' Petunia asked Snape.

'You will find out in due time. However, I can tell you that you're not going to turn a weird colour or sprout tentacles,' Snape said.

'Then what will it do?' Vernon demanded.

'If your behaviour is any indication, you'll see very soon,' McGonagall said.

Suddenly, in the distance, they heard sirens.

'Already?' Pomfrey growled.

'Well, the Muggles whom Gibbs contacted looked pretty eager to lend him a hand,' McGonagall pointed out.

'Who's Gibbs?' Petunia asked.

'My brother,' Snape said.

'Liar! You're an only child,' she growled.

'That is no longer true, and you'll meet him soon,' Snape said with a nasty smirk.

Petunia paled even more.

'The Police were fast for Muggles,' Pomfrey said as the sirens got nearer.

'We should Disapparate,' McGonagall suggested.

Snape and McGonagall popped out of the Dursleys' kitchen.

Pomfrey looked at Petunia and asked as she pointed to Vernon and Dudley, 'Do you want to lose them?'

'Of course not!' Petunia exclaimed.

Pomfrey cast a charm on Petunia's husband and son. 'You'll thank me in the long run,' Pomfrey said, and then she Disapparated.

The sirens were getting closer and closer. Apparently, there were a lot of Police cars, and they were all heading to Number 4, Privet Drive.

Petunia and Vernon traded looks; if they'd known anything about karma, they'd have known that theirs was catching up with them.

Being the kind of people that they were, they just regretted ever taking Harry in, but right now, they were going to pay for what they'd done to Harry since he'd been entrusted to their care.

A good dozen cars stopped in front of their house, and everybody in Privet Drive either got out on the street to see what was going on, or, at the very least, observed from behind their curtains.

Gibbs, Ziva, Tony and Abby got out of the leading car.

Gibbs had left McGee in London with quite a special mission.

Gibbs's team was waiting next to the car, and the local team leader, who was the father of a first-generation witch, walked up to Gibbs.

'What are we waiting for?' Inspector Jones asked Gibbs.

'We're making them nervous, and we're giving their neighbours something to gossip about,' Gibbs explained. He looked at Jones and said, 'We appreciate your help, but you're taking this too personally. They mustn't know about your daughter.'

Jones blinked several times and then nodded. 'You're right. Of course, you're right. What they did to that poor child is horrible, and when you told us that they mistreated him because he's got magic… Well, I just wanted to help you,' he said.

Gibbs put a hand on Jones's arm and said, 'We all understand, but let's not forget the plan.'

Jones nodded again.

'Good, otherwise I'm sure Abby would ask her boyfriend to hex you,' DiNozzo said.

Abby snorted, a bit à la Snape, and she declared, 'No need for a hex. I'm sure Inspector Jones will keep in mind that I know his daughter's future Potions master and that we're here to avenge Severus's son – and mine.'

'I don't know who's more dangerous… The wizard or the lab goddess, who could kill someone without leaving even a hint of a trace,' Gibbs said.

'I'm not eager to know the answer to that question,' Jones admitted.

'Let's go, Gibbs,' Ziva said.

'Do you think they're ready to pay for what they did to Harry?' he asked her.

'Correct timing according to me,' she declared.

'I agree,' Gibbs said.

Inside, the Dursleys saw the "police officers" – they didn't know about the NCIS agents just yet – walk up to their door and bang on it.

Vernon went to open the door, while Petunia was attempting to send Dudley to his room – with no success.

'What?!' Vernon yelled.

'Police,' Jones said, showing his official ID.

'NCIS,' Gibbs said.

Gibbs and his team showed their IDs, too.

'What do you want?' Vernon shouted.

'We were informed that you and your wife were the guardians of your nephew until he was adopted a few days ago. We want to talk to you about the way you treated the child,' Jones said.

'That Potter, again! We took in that…' Vernon stopped to cough several times and he finished his sentence, 'that poor child, and we treated him like hell because we're bigoted.'

'I say it's good to see a criminal admit his crimes so easily!' DiNozzo said.

The officers and the agents knew that it was the work of the spell that McGonagall, Pomfrey and Snape had cast on the Dursleys. From now on, the Dursleys would be forced to confess and admit what they'd done to Harry each time the boy was mentioned.

'We're not criminals!' Vernon barked. 'We just treated Potter worse than if he were a cockroach.'

'Which is a crime,' Jones said. 'Let's go inside and have a word with Madam your wife, too.'

During the next hour, the two teams read the Riot Act to the entire family. The initial plan was to leave Dudley out of all this, but when it became obvious that no matter how young the boy was, he had mimicked his parents' behaviour toward Harry, Ziva announced that she'd have a word with Dudley.

Vernon and Petunia had to tell everything they had done to Harry since they'd found him on their doorstep. Jones recorded everything, and when they were done, Gibbs told them what he thought of their behaviour.

Vernon was angry that he was forced to admit what he'd done – and that he'd been caught by the Police.

When the spell made Petunia admit what she'd done to her nephew, her own younger sister's only baby, she began to realize that Snape was right about the fact that she'd become a bitter woman. She knew that she would never have been able to forget that Harry had magic and _she_ had none, but she was glad that she'd surrendered her link with Harry to Snape. He still had strong feelings for Lily, and he would be a good parent for Harry.

Ziva explained to Dudley why it was very bad to bully people. The child was particularly impressed when Ziva got her knife out and started to punctuate her explanation with extraordinary knife moves. Dudley would never forget what the "pretty lady" told him; he knew that his cousin was a wizard, and Ziva had told him that she would know if he ever was a bad boy. The prospect of a visit and a possible closer meeting with the knife scared him for life – even though she would never have done such a thing, not even to a toad such as Dudley could have become under his parents' tutelage.

Finally, Jones informed the Dursleys that they would be monitored.

'Why? It's not as if Potter were still in the cupboard!' Vernon growled.

'Thank God his new father rescued him!' Jones said. 'However, God knows what you might do to your child in the coming years.'

'How dare you?! We love our son!' Petunia spat.

'Madam, feeding a young child so much that he already resembles a baby killer whale is not "love" in my book. Your son is _not_ a goose, and if you don't want him to have a heart marinated in fat, you'll take better care of his diet,' Jones pointed out coldly. 'Plump isn't a bad thing, but your son will start having health problem very soon if you don't help him.'

The officers and agents were leaving when Petunia asked, 'Why did you come with so many cars?'

'So that your neighbours would ask you questions, and you must answer them and tell them the truth about what you did to Harry,' Gibbs answered softly in her ear.

Petunia squeaked and asked, 'Why?'

Gibbs leant even closer and murmured, 'Because Harry made me his uncle.'

'Gibbs! You're Severus's new brother! I didn't pay attention to your name, and I didn't make the connection,' Petunia said.

'We should go, Boss. The rest of the team must be waiting for us,' DiNozzo said.

'You go, guys. Give me just one minute here. The final words are mine,' Abby said.

The lab tech had been remarkably silent until now.

They left the house and went to wait by the cars. All the neighbours were looking at the Dursleys house – but not from too close because those respectable citizens didn't want to risk being associated with the Dursleys if _they_ were criminals.

The instant Gibbs closed the door behind him, Abby swirled to face Petunia and Vernon.

'Listen to me, you miserable worms! Harry's my baby, now, and I'm going to pray to all the deities I can think of that one day you truly realize just how awful you've been,' Abby said with passion.

Vernon snorted.

'I though you might react that way, so I asked someone to prepare a little something for you,' she said.

She took something that looked like a pebble from her pocket, and she dropped it on the floor. It was a contained spell, and when its wrapping was broken, it hit the Dursleys.

'What was that? Vernon asked.

'A spell. You're going to meet the souls of Lily and James in your dreams until you understand what you've done. A good day to you,' Abby said.

And with those words, she joined the rest of the team.

They went back to London, where they met McGee and the Wizarding team.

The entire operation had taken them just a few hours, and no one in Washington, except Jackson and Ducky, knew what they'd done and where they went.

When Privet Drive was quiet again, the Dursleys sighed with relief. They could forget that day; it was a nightmare.

Dudley came back to the kitchen when his father called him.

'Do you want another breakfast, Duddikin?' Petunia asked.

'Nah! Not 'ungry,' the boy said.

That was a first since his birth.

'Would you like more toast?' Petunia asked her husband.

'I… I am not hungry either,' he said.

Vernon looked at his son, and then at his wife, and he put two and two together. The Mediwitch's spell was designed to make sure they didn't eat too much. Within a few months, they'd both be at the normal weight for their height – or at least not whale-like.

Someone rang their bell.

They thought that it was one of their neighbours coming to see what happened. They didn't make a noise and pretended that they weren't home. Finally, the person at the door, who was the one whom McGee had met, left a note through the post-hole.

Petunia went to take the letter, which was from Social Services.

'Petunia, I think we should move,' Vernon said.

She nodded fervently.

'I didn't want to mention it because none of us like the colonies, but I've been offered a job in the US,' Vernon said.

'Take it!' Petunia exclaimed.

Vernon started to make arrangements to start a new job in … Washington, D.C.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	28. Chapter 28

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

When Harry woke up in the morning, he was cuddling with his Dada Jackson. The boy had already lost his parents once; therefore, he got out of bed to make sure that Mummy and Daddy were all right and still home.

Harry giggled as discreetly as he could when he closed the door behind him in _their_ room because Snape and Abby had crashed in the same bed – and they'd put (well, actually, Snape insisted on it) Harry's cuddly owl between them. Harry climbed in bed and reclaimed his owl.

Abby rolled in her sleep and slithered more closely into Snape's more than welcoming arms. Harry saw Snape bury his nose in Abby's hair and smile in his sleep.

Harry saw the love between his parents, and he settled in Abby's arms to sleep for a few more minutes.

Harry woke up again, and then he decided that he wanted breakfast. He was convinced that Uncle Jethro would already be in the kitchen, and he left his parents to sleep quietly.

Gibbs welcomed Harry and took care of the boy. Having Harry home made Gibbs long for another child of his own; Jackson saw that when he joined them in the kitchen, and he went to kiss his son's brow. Gibbs was about to protest, but something in his father's eyes prevented him from doing so.

Shannon and Kelly were gone, but perhaps there was another family waiting for Gibbs somewhere. His adopted little brother was giving him hope somehow.

Gibbs's guests had had breakfast and were already planning their day when Abby stirred, which in turn woke up Snape.

'Morning, Sev,' she said softly, caressing the arm that was wrapped around her waist.

He saw that the plushy was no longer between them, and he jumped away from her.

'I'm so sorry,' he gasped.

She turned to face him and said, 'What for, Darling? You were just holding me. Nothing more.'

'But…' he began to say.

'No buts, Dear. You held me; it's fairly innocent,' she said. She looked at him and declared seriously, 'I'll ask the rest of the pack when they can keep an eye on our bunny. Now that the Dursleys are dealt with, I do have plans for you, Mister.'

Snape remained silent.

'Severus,' she said – and the change of tone and his full name told him that she was dead serious. 'I'm going to ask you this only _once_. Do you want us to start dating?'

Snape remained silent.

Abby took a deep breath and said, 'Okay, I'll pack and go back home, and then back to work.'

'Abby.'

It was the first time he didn't call her "Abigail".

She looked at him and barked, 'What?!'

'I'm afraid,' he admitted.

'And you think I'm not? Hell, Sev, you've got the power to disappear from my life in the wink of an eye! You could even make _me_ forget that I met you and Harry… You could make Harry forget me…' her voice trailed off and she sobbed.

Snape took her hand in his and promised, 'I'd never do such a terrible thing.'

'Good! Otherwise I'd kick you in the groin,' Abby said between sobs.

Snape pulled her into his arms, and he hugged her. He refrained from pointing out that she wouldn't be able to do anything to him if he Memory-charmed her, for she would no longer know him – or Harry.

'What's wrong with me?' Abby sobbed.

'Nothing. You're perfect. I don't understand why you'd want to date me,' he said.

'Silly bunny!' she said.

Abby wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed him. He responded faster than the first times, and he held her tight.

They stopped kissing.

'Severus Stubborn Snape, I want you. Never doubt it. I allow you to read my thoughts anytime you want, but… I want to be with you, Sev,' she said.

Snape hugged her and buried his nose in her neck. She didn't hear him sob, but she felt a tear fall onto her shoulder, and he said, 'I want you in my life, Abigail.'

She hugged him back fiercely.

'We'll leave Harry with Gibbs, and we'll go somewhere. We need to talk and to make plans,' Abby said.

'All right. I… I'll follow your lead,' Snape said.

'Really?' she asked eagerly.

'Yes, I've just managed to prove that I'm a complete idiot. I'll allow you to slap me if I'm unfair again,' he said.

'Deal,' she said.

Her voice was a tad merrier.

Snape moved backwards to look at her.

'Oh, my!' he gasped.

'What?' she asked.

He looked so surprised that it was funny.

'What?' she repeated.

'I… I've re-spelled your hair black,' he explained.

She chuckled and hugged him. 'You're going to make things easy when I need a colour,' she said.

'You're not angry?' he asked worriedly.

'Sev, when I'm angry, you'll know it without doubt,' she said. She looked at him, blinked and asked as if it were the most important thing in the world, 'Your spell isn't going to make my hair dry, is it?'

He laughed and pecked her lips. 'No, Abigail, it won't,' he said.

She kissed him again, and he melted in her arms.

When they stopped kissing, she punched his arm and growled, 'The next time you frighten me like that, I'll tell Gibbs _and_ Ziva!'

Snape actually squeaked. He imagined that Gibbs would shoot him after Ziva had expressed her disappointment with a sharp knife.

Then it hit him like a ton of bricks: he really had a new family. People who knew who he was and what he'd done, and who loved him nonetheless. He looked at Abby, and there was no hint of a lie or disgust in her eyes.

'I'm so sorry. I've been betrayed so many times that I almost turned into a bitter man. If you weren't so nice, I could have driven you away. Will you forgive me?' he said.

'I've already forgiven you. I'm not like Lily, you know,' she answered softly.

'Yes,' he said, obviously quite moved, '_you_ like me for real. She never did.'

'Oh, Severus,' she purred.

'Abby,' he whispered.

'I love you,' she said.

Snape was so moved that he could have cried.

'I…' he began to say, only to be interrupted by her fingers on his lips.

'Shush, Baby, you're not ready. You'll say whatever you want when you know what you're talking about,' she said.

He nodded.

'All right, we need breakfast, and we need to convince Gibbs to keep an eye on Harry for an hour or two. I'm not going to wizard-nap you for a whole day; it'd be too much for you and for Harry,' she said as she got up.

She tilted Snape's head up and gave him a toe-curling kiss.

'Okay, Baby, let's go to the kitchen,' she said.

'I can't,' he mumbled, looking at the floor and blushing.

'Gibbs won't know what happened, you know,' she said. 'He's not a mind-reader; even though his abilities are uncanny sometimes.'

'It's not that, Abigail. I need a moment. I'll join you in a few minutes,' he said.

She blinked several times, and the penny dropped finally. He was unable to get up in his state.

'Oh,' she said blushing bright red. 'I'll go make you some tea.'

'Thank you.'

She took a step towards him to give him another kiss, but she feared it might be a bad idea.

She was about to leave him when she thought that another kiss wouldn't make things much worse, and she gave him that kiss.

After she closed their door, Snape collapsed on the bed. He was still under her spell, and the sheet and pillows smelt like her. Right then he vowed to stop being so suspicious – at least with Abby – and to open his heart to her.

He didn't know why she loved him, but he knew that she did. She loved Harry, as well. He was convinced that there was no other woman like her in the world.

He decided to ask Gibbs later to help him find something that Abby would like.

For the moment, Snape decided to use a spell on himself. It wasn't the nicest way to deal with his problem, but it certainly was the fastest.

Snape joined the rest of the family just as the kettle started whistling.

'Morning, Daddy!' Harry greeted him.

'Good morning, Bunny,' Snape answered.

'We've planned the day's activities,' DiNozzo announced.

'And we added a few magical things for Harry,' Pomfrey said.

The boy was practically levitating with glee.

'Harry needs to learn as much as possible to be a good wizard like you,' Abby said as she squeezed Snape's arm.

'Thank you,' Snape said, a bit stunned.

He sat down, and Abby whispered in his ear, 'We're good with Gibbs. We'll have a moment to ourselves in the afternoon while Harry naps in the park we're visiting today.'

Gibbs and Abby used sign language to communicate, and Snape understood that Abby must have used signs to ask Gibbs to help them.

Snape smiled at Abby, who almost cooed and melted right there. After his near-blunder, he realized how lucky he was that Abby was nothing like Lily. He was happy and excited to have a date planned in a few hours.

He started having breakfast with Abby, while the others went to shower and get dressed.

Pomfrey let McGonagall go first. When Snape looked at the witch in front of him, he realized that he needed her help.

His only way, right now, to ask Pomfrey the questions he needed to was to project thoughts right into her head – and hope that she wouldn't freak out.

He mentally cast the spell he needed, and as gently as possible, he thought, "Poppy?"

She blinked once and looked at him pointedly.

"Yes, I'm sending you thoughts. I'm sorry, but I need your help, and I don't fancy talking about that topic with the others around," he told her.

"Can you hear my answers?" she thought.

"Yes."

"What do you need from me?" she inquired.

He briefly looked at Abby without his noticing it, but Pomfrey saw it.

"Erm…" he thought.

"Ah," she thought in answer. "Is there something specific you need to know, or do you need me to tell you about the birds and bees from the beginning?"

Only sheer willpower allowed Snape to not blush like a maid.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	29. Chapter 29

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

"Poppy!" he exclaimed in a thought.

"Severus, I'm _really_ happy for you, and I want to help you if I can," she told him.

"I… I'm wondering if there are things that could turn bad. I have magic, and she doesn't," Snape thought.

Pomfrey wanted to hug her young colleague and slap his parents and Albus and the Marauders and Lily Evans for making him so emotionally insecure. Her thoughts were warm when she told him, "Muggles and magical people do fall in love and make love. You can use spells with her; it's not dangerous. In fact, if you don't want to start expanding your family right now, it would be nice to use a Prophylactic spell – and don't forget to tell her! Oh, and Muggles have prophylactics of their own; if she wants to use one as well, let her."

She could feel that he was puzzled and didn't want to admit it.

"Follow her lead, Severus," she thought gently.

He sent Pomfrey the equivalent of a mental nod.

She thought that he was done, but… "Poppy?"

"Yes, Severus?"

"I don't know any spell for… that."

She knew that the admission must have cost him a lot.

"Would you like me to cast a spell on you?" she asked.

Another mental nod.

"I'll do it very discreetly, my dear. It'll last a week. I'll bring you a few books, and then you can learn what you need," she told him. "I'll _always_ be here to help you with _anything_."

"Thank you."

She heard how moved he was, and then she felt the connection fade. When Snape and she were the only magical people left in the kitchen, she fluttered her fingers, and the spell was cast. Snape blinked at her, and she winked; perhaps she wasn't as powerful as Dumbledore or even Snape, but she could cast a handful of spells and charms without the help of her wand – and she'd used that spell with her late husband often enough to not need a wand.

About thirty minutes later, the unusual group left Gibbs's house for their new day of vacation. This time, they drove to a National Park where they played games with Harry and got to know one another even better.

Harry was quite a bright child, and he understood that his mummy and daddy needed time together; he stayed with his uncles and aunts and his Dada Jackson.

When Harry fell asleep in Ziva's arms, Snape took Abby's hand in his.

'Where do you want to go?' he asked.

'Wherever you like. I don't care as long as I'm with you,' she answered. She saw that he looked lost and added, 'Let's go someplace you like, or where you'll feel at ease.'

'Really?'

She nodded several times.

Snape wrapped his arms around Abby and Apparated them near the gates of Hogwarts.

'This is where I work,' Snape told Abby, pointing towards the castle.

However, since the place was spelled against Muggles, she couldn't see _Hogwarts_ just yet.

'It's a ruin!' she exclaimed.

Snape laughed softly and cast a charm on his girlfriend.

'Much better!' she said as she saw the real shape of the castle.

'Hogsmeade is down the road. We can either go to one of the school's greenhouses or to the pub,' he said.

'The greenhouse is fine,' she said.

Something in her answer bothered him. 'Abigail?'

She shrugged.

'Abigail, I'm already lost about what we're supposed to do. I don't know what to do. Tell me what's on your mind,' he said.

'Hogsmeade is that village where there's nothing Muggle, right?' she asked.

He nodded.

'Then, it's better if we stay here,' she said.

'I'm sure you'd like to see Hogsmeade, wouldn't you?' he asked her.

She looked torn.

'I'll protect you, Abigail. I'd never let a wizard or a witch attack you,' he promised.

'I'm afraid they'd bother _you_ because of _me_, Sev,' she admitted finally.

He chuckled and asked, 'Shouldn't we get them used to seeing us together?'

She beamed at him and took his arm.

As they walked towards the village, Snape started to share something important with her.

'I think I should go back to Hogwarts in September. Not because Albus saved my hide when he thought I could make a good puppet after he let me down, though,' he said.

'Because you want to be there to teach Harry. I get it, Sev. Looks like you'll just have to show me how to use Portkeys, and you'll have to Apparate with our bunny when you're free to do so,' she said.

'Don't you mind, really?' he asked.

She shook her head fervently and declared, 'No, and I'm sure we can make it work if, as we've already agreed, we talk and really do communicate.'

He nodded.

'I'm sure you're going to love Hogsmeade,' Snape said.

They turned a corner on the road, and Abby squealed with delight when she saw the village.

'I take it you like it,' he said.

'It's like a village from a fairy tale, only it's real!' she exclaimed.

'Abigail, most Muggle fairy tales come from mixed marriages,' he pointed out.

She beamed and bounced on her toes with happiness.

Snape showed her a few shops, but most of them were already closed. The sun was still high, but it was past dinner-time on that side of the world.

'We'll have to come back another day,' Snape said.

Abby patted his arm and said, 'We've got plenty of time, Sev.'

'Sev?' someone snorted behind them.

Snape groaned – of course, Lucius Malfoy, warranted pain in the neck and genuine Death Eater, had to be in Hogsmeade just right now.

'Lucius,' Snape sighed as he turned around.

Snape was worried for Abby. She was just a Muggle, and his wand was concealed in the sleeve that she was holding.

Malfoy looked at Abby as if she were a microbe when he felt that she had no magic.

'Really, Snape, first a Mudblood and now a Muggle. You have poor standards!' Malfoy teased Snape.

'How dare you, Malfoy?!' Snape spat.

'Easy, Sev,' Abby said very quietly. 'I've had all kinds of thugs bug me. The latest wasn't a wizard, but I've had a few adventures with Cynthia – and if you tell Gibbs, I'm not going to be a happy Abby,' she said.

Snape, stunned, nodded. His girlfriend was a Muggle, but there was some kind of power radiating from her.

'What will our Lord say when I report that you're the lapdog of a Muggle?' Malfoy hissed.

'Lucius!' Narcissa Malfoy, who'd been remarkably silent up to that moment, exclaimed.

She was carrying their son, Draco, who was lost, but was very interested in the exchange.

'There should be a spell to prevent filthy Muggles from coming here,' Malfoy said, ignoring his wife.

Abby opened the tiny bag that looked like a bat that she was carrying, and she looked for something inside.

Malfoy took his wand, and Snape did the same; Malfoy was ready to hex Abby, and Snape wanted to protect her.

Abby addressed Narcissa, 'I'm really sorry that you married such an idiot. You look like a nice girl.'

Narcissa blinked.

Abby found what she was looking for. Before Malfoy could say the first syllable of a spell, she used a taser on him. The electrodes gave him such a shock that he collapsed and started imitating a fish out of the water, which amused his son to no end.

The wand that he was still holding exploded like a fire-cracker.

Abby stopped tasing him, and she put the weapon back into her bat bag.

'I'm sorry; he made me do it,' Abby told Narcissa.

Snape was gaping, and Malfoy was drooling on the ground.

Abby crouched next to him and said, 'Try anything against me or my family, and what happened tonight will look like fun. I know wizards and witches, and my Muggle friends _aren't_ as nice and patient as I am.'

Narcissa squeaked, and her husband gurgled something unintelligible.

Abby rose and added, 'In my line of work, I know how to deal with criminals, and I can make bodies disappear without a trace. Keep that in mind before you're tempted to bug Sev or me.'

'Abigail,' Snape murmured with awe.

'I told you I can take care of myself. Ziva taught us to throw knives, too, and I'm not too bad,' she added. 'Now, where's that pub you mentioned?'

Snape pointed down the street.

Abby looked at Narcissa, beamed at her and cooed, 'Your son is adorable.'

'Thank you,' Narcissa said, still staggered.

Draco grinned at Abby, who winked at him.

'Just make sure he doesn't turn into a mini Lucius; that'd be such a waste!' Abby said.

Narcissa blinked several times.

Snape and Abby took a few steps towards the pub, but Narcissa stopped them.

'Severus, you haven't introduced me to your friend,' she said.

'Pardon me,' he apologized. 'Narcissa Black Malfoy, this is Abigail Sciuto.'

'Your fiancée?' Narcissa inquired.

Snape answered with his heart and said, 'Yes.'

'Congratulations. I hope to be invited to the wedding,' Narcissa said.

'If you don't mind Apparating to the US, and if you come with your other half on leash, we'll be delighted,' Abby said.

Something passed between the two women, and they smiled and nodded at each other.

They said goodbye. A few feet away, Abby told Snape to put his wand back in his sleeve, and she took his hand. They heard Narcissa call a house-elf to take Malfoy back to their home and have him seen and treated by their Healer.

Snape and Abby went to the Three Broomstick where Rosmerta, the new owner, told Abby that the first drink was on her for having provided her with such unusual entertainment.

'It's about tea-time for us,' Abby pointed out.

'Then, tea it is, my dears,' Rosmerta said.

Snape led Abby to a quiet booth in the pub.

'I'm sorry,' Snape said softly.

'I can deal with idiots like that Malfoy, Sev,' she said.

'I'm sorry he insulted you, too, but…' his voice trailed off.

'What?'

'We'll have to wed now that we told Narcissa we would,' he whispered.

'We'll do that _only_ if we really want to, and when we're sure we're compatible,' she said.

'What do you mean?' he wondered innocently.

She leant over the table and murmured in his ear, 'I'd never marry someone who would be a bore in bed. We'll have to score a home run first.'

'Huh?' Snape said, the expression lost on him.

Abby tried to _translate_ and said, 'Catch the Snitch?'

Snape's blush told her that he got the message.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	30. Chapter 30

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Rosmerta brought their tea and chatted a bit with them. She was delighted to hear that Abby was now in Snape's life and that she'd get to see her as often as possible.

There were a lot of patrons, and Rosmerta didn't want to bother the young couple, therefore she left them alone in their booth.

Abby served tea, and they chit-chatted. She could tell that Snape was surprised.

'Are you disappointed, Sev?' she asked softly.

'No,' he said. 'But I'm a bit lost.'

'A date should not be only about kissing and stuff, you know. Especially since we're not exactly fifteen,' she said.

He nodded.

'Your schoolmates were smooching madly, weren't they?' she asked.

He blinked and repeated, 'Smooching?'

She tried to remember what Ducky would say and tried, 'Snogging?'

'Oh! Yes, they were doing that a lot,' Snape said with a sigh.

'I don't mind doing that, but not in a pub,' Abby explained.

Snape sighed with relief.

'Aw, Sev! I'd never embarrass you that way,' she said.

'Thank you!' he said, obviously relieved.

'Sev? How long can we stay here before our baby finishes his nap?' she asked.

'About another hour. I could show you my quarters at Hogwarts if you want,' he said.

'I'd like to see a bit of Hogwarts, but not your quarters,' she said.

'Why?' he inquired, suddenly insecure.

She leant over the table and whispered, 'Because if you take me to a place with a _bed_, Gibbs will need to ask Minerva to Apparate him here in order to take us back to Washington.'

'Really?' he asked incredulously.

'Oh, I'll prove it to you, Baby. Do you know a good place to _snog_ in that school of yours?' she said.

He nodded several times.

'Let's go!' she said.

Abby got up and went to thank Rosmerta for the free tea. The two women hugged each other, and Abby promised to come back very soon.

As soon as the couple was out, Snape Apparated them to the gates of Hogwarts.

'I love magic!' Abby said joyfully.

They walked to the castle hand in hand.

'Abigail?'

'Yes, Love?'

'Apparition is impossible on the grounds. We'll have to walk back to the gates or Floo to my house and Apparate from there,' he said.

'Floo'ing might be faster,' she said.

He nodded.

'So, where will we go?' she inquired eagerly.

'The Astronomy Tower,' he said.

There was something in his voice that was unusual.

'Sev?' she said, making the vowel extra long.

'Well, the students go there. Around Valentine's Day, the staff takes turns guarding the place,' he explained.

'It must be a good spot. Let's try it! Which way?' she asked.

He pointed a finger. She took his hand and started to run upstairs. He followed her, laughing; he'd never been happier in his life.

At one point, they reached an intersection and heard voices. They tried to be as silent as possible, and they ran faster and hid behind the staircase stone railing, one story above the sound coming from a corridor.

Dumbledore was there with Ducky, and they were holding hands and kissing every other step. From what Abby and Snape heard, the older couple had hopped by Hogwarts to make sure that Snape would be allowed to live with Harry and that he could keep his son with him. Dumbledore led Ducky to his quarters – to Floo from there, or…

'That was nice,' Abby said.

'If you mean what Ducky made him do, yes, it was. Now I'm not sure I won't have to blind myself after seeing my mentor _snogging_ so enthusiastically,' Snape joked.

'Brat! Let's go make a better performance!' she said as she resumed their race to the tower.

When they reached the top of the tower, Abby looked around and said, 'Nice view.' She turned to her boyfriend and said, 'Nicer view.' Then she proceeded to snog him senseless.

From the look on Snape's face when he Apparated them back to the American park, she'd fairly succeeded.

'Daddy, you got a big smile,' Harry said when he woke up.

'I'm happy, Bunny,' Snape said as he hugged and kissed the boy's cheek.

Harry's smile then could have powered a small town for a day.

Snape and Abby spent as much time together as possible, but Snape had to plan his lessons for the next school-year and prepare his house and quarters for a young boy, and Abby had to go back to work – as did Gibbs's team.

The last night of their _holidays_, they all broke up in couples or small groups.

Jackson, Gibbs, Minerva and Pomfrey stayed at Gibbs's. McGee invited Ruby Rae to his place to play some game on his computer, while DiNozzo took Ziva to a romantic Greek restaurant where they spent a lovely evening. Ducky was enjoying Dumbledore's company after they'd managed to convince Mrs Mallard to go to sleep _very_ early.

Snape, Abby and Harry spent the evening at Abby's place.

Snape had spelled a room for Harry – a room that they would keep and that would be invisible to Muggles who didn't know about magic. He had spelled Abby's bed, too; he didn't mind a good mattress, but he'd made it clear that he would not sleep in her fake coffin.

They had dinner, watched a short film with Harry and told the boy a fairy tale. Harry fell asleep in his new room with his plushy owl in his arms. Before leaving him for the night, Snape activated the Monitoring spells that would tell him and Abby if Harry was having a nightmare.

However, Harry was so happy now that he no longer had nightmares.

Snape and Abby went back to her kitchen. With a flick of his wand, Snape had a spell doing the dishes.

'Love you,' Abby purred in his ear.

He blinked and said, 'It's normal to help you wash up.'

'Do you know how many guys I know would have done that?' she asked. 'None. And you don't even see how precious you are.'

Snape could see that his girlfriend was very sad, in spite of her cheerful attitude. Of course, they'd get to see each other on the weekends, as they'd agreed, but his going back to the UK meant long weekdays alone.

Abby would miss the man, who she _knew_ was the one, and she'd miss their son, too. Snape was sad as well because Harry would get to see his mummy only two days a week – and he'd get to spend time with Abby only when Harry was asleep.

Abby was quite an unusual Muggle, but Snape was falling for her, head over heels.

'Would you like us to put a plushy between us?' she asked him when it was time for them to go to bed if they didn't want to oversleep and have Harry be the one waking them up in the morning.

'No, unless you'd prefer. I must say I'd like to hold you,' Snape admitted in a whisper.

'Just hold me?' Abby asked. There was no tease in her voice.

Snape blushed.

'Sev?'

He was still blushing fiercely, but he looked straight at her when he said, 'I'm not sure I fully master the Prophylactic spells that I've been learning. I must ask Poppy if I'm casting them properly.'

'Honey, we can do it the Muggle way,' she said. 'Besides, we still have to have our blood tested. Remember what I told you?'

He nodded; she'd quite clearly explained about that kind of plague. He'd even wondered if Pomfrey knew about it, and if people with magic were immune to it or not.

He realized that she could take his nod for an agreement to make love the Muggle way, not only as his acknowledging that he hadn't forgotten what she'd told him.

'I wouldn't know what to do,' he added hastily.

She took his hands in hers and declared seriously, '_I_ know what to do.'

Snape looked at her, and he realized that he trusted her – more than he trusted himself in fact.

'Don't you mind that I'm so… so ignorant?' he asked.

'Sev! I had to learn everything – and I'm still learning. It's okay, you know. We don't even have to do anything tonight. But… if you want, it's not impossible,' she said. 'I've got plenty of supplies… not that I got to use them that often, but there's a bit of a boy scout in me.'

He smiled warmly and then asked, 'Supplies?'

'You really don't know what I'm talking about. Do you want me to show you what it is? And then we'll see,' she said.

Snape nodded once, and Abby led him to their bedroom. There, she explained Muggle prophylactics very naturally; she made it sound so normal that Snape forgot all the bad things he'd overheard his parents say when he was much younger.

Snogging led to some undressing that ended in bed.

Abby demonstrated that making love was the most natural, normal, fantabulous thing in the world.

Snape discovered all the tattoos that Abby harboured on her skin, and a few of them had locations that made him jealous of the person who'd put them on Abby. She found that entirely too cute.

They didn't sleep much that night, but Snape was happy that she loved him the way he was, and Abby was delighted that things had got even more serious between them.

'I'm not going to leave you,' Snape told her as he tried to smooth a line that had appeared between her eyebrows. 'To quote you, Honey, you're stuck with me.'

'I…'

'What's bothering you, Abigail?' he asked warmly.

'Well, maybe you'd rather be with a witch,' she mumbled.

He gently took her hand and placed it over his heart and said, 'There's not a witch who makes my heart beat like this. I want to be with _you_.'

She cooed, which prompted him to kiss her.

'Abigail.'

'Yes, Sev?'

'I love you.'

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she had to swear that they were tears of happiness.

They slept in each other's arms, skin to skin, and absolutely loved it.

The next morning was a bit sad, but Snape promised to find a way for them to stay in touch even during the weekdays. He hoped to spell mirrors to work like webcams.

Abby went to work, and her team was there with Caf-Pow and hugs to cheer her up.

Director Vance was munching one of his awful toothpicks when he told her with a bright smile, 'Don't worry, Sciuto, you'll have a big surprise in a few hours.'

Abby blinked.

'My cousin's never wrong,' Vance said confidently. 'When it happens, you can borrow McGee and Rae.'

'But Ruby's not here, Boss,' McGee protested.

'She starts working with us in an hour. She'll be in another department,' Vance announced.

McGee looked as if he'd won the lottery, and Abby was overexcited.

While she was waiting for her surprise, Snape was working for Harry in England.

It didn't take him long to put the spells he wanted on his small house.

'What do you say we go to Hogwarts to see where we'll spend most of the time?' Snape asked Harry.

'Can we call Mummy from there?' the boy asked.

'I'll find a way,' Snape promised.

Harry knew that _Daddy_ would never lie to him.

Snape used the Floo Network to arrive in the staff room. Pomfrey was there with Irma Pince, the librarian.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	31. Chapter 31

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The Mediwitch had told Pince the story of Harry's rescue; Pince turned to Snape and beamed at him.

'If you need anything, I'll help,' Pince said.

'Thank you,' Snape said.

Pince looked at Harry fondly and said, 'Hello, Harry.'

'Good morning, Ma'am,' Harry said softly, but clearly.

Pince didn't need to look at Pomfrey to show her that she understood that the _Muggles_ must have forced Harry to be extremely polite in order not to attract unwanted attention.

'I'm Irma, Harry. When your dad is working, you can ask a house-elf to escort you to the Library. I'll always find a moment to read you a story,' she said.

'Really?!' Harry exclaimed joyfully.

Since Snape, and then Abby, had rescued him, Harry had discovered the beautiful world of fairy tales, and he _loved_ stories.

'If you're not careful, Irma, Harry will think you're his aunt,' Snape joked.

He had a happy smile on his lips.

Pince smiled back at him and said, seriously, 'I wouldn't mind.'

There was something so intense in Pince that Pomfrey and Snape saw that the librarian was longing for a child of her own.

'We'll come visit you later if you don't mind,' Snape told Pince. 'I've just put quite a few spells on our house, but now I'd like to prepare my quarters for the years to come.'

'Of course,' Pince answered. 'You must have a lot to do.'

Snape picked up his son and was about to leave, but he remembered something.

'Ladies, I promised Abigail that I'd try to spell two mirrors so that we could talk during the week. Would you know a spell to do that?' he asked his friends.

'There are a few. They all have different features. I can bring the book on that topic to your quarters if you want,' Pince suggested.

'I don't want to bother you,' Snape said.

'Severus, that's no bother at all,' Pince said warmly. 'Would you like me to find something magical for Harry's bedtime story tonight?'

Harry nodded enthusiastically, and Pince winked at the boy, who giggled. Snape smiled again and thanked Pince.

'Find something suitable for his age. He's just turned four,' Snape reminded her.

He didn't care if he reacted like a mother-hen.

When both women were sure that he was gone, they smiled at each other. Snape looked happy and serene, and it made them happy in turn. Besides, they were happy that Harry had found such a loving family.

Snape showed his classroom, study and lab to his son. He told Harry that he could come in each room, but never when there was a class, and he must never touch anything because he was too small. Harry promised to obey – and he would because disobeying would mean disappointing _Daddy_, and he'd never do that.

Then Snape showed Harry the Slytherin Common room and the students' quarters.

Snape opened another door and said, 'This is our home in Hogwarts, Harry.'

The boy explored the parlour, bedroom and bathroom.

'We sleep together in your big bed?' Harry asked.

'No, Bunny. We could, but you're going to grow up, and you deserve to have your own room. Now that you've seen our quarters, we're going back into the corridor, and we're going to put a spell on our home and ask the castle to give you a room,' Snape said.

'And have things Mummy like, too!' Harry exclaimed.

Snape grinned; he was sure that his own Goth gal would love his corner in the dungeons.

They went outside and Snape closed the door. He balanced Harry on his left hip and took his wand.

'You see, Bunny, you've got to grow up feeling what magic is like. One day, you might have to expand a house because you'll have friends coming to see you. It can be temporary or permanent. We're going to ask Hogwarts to make you a nice room. Do you want to help me?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded fervently.

'Put your hand on the door and tell the castle the kind of room you'd like to have,' Snape instructed.

The magic of the castle heard the boy loud and clear – and Snape's spell was so powerful that his quarters were radically changed.

'Ready to see our new place?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded again.

They entered the parlour. It was slightly bigger and looked somewhat warmer – even so, Abby would still love it for its vampiric qualities.

There were two new doors next to the one that led to Snape's bedroom.

One read "Bunny's room".

'This is your room, Harry,' Snape said as he opened the door.

Harry squealed with delight because his "new" room was exactly like his room at Mummy's place.

Snape was the first to notice the window… the window that opened onto Abby's street in Washington. Snape felt the headache of the millennium start brewing in his skull; Harry's room – the room that Snape had created by magic – was in Washington _and_ in Hogwarts. He'd have to find a way to call Abby, or perhaps briefly Apparate back to Washington to see if she could gain access to the version of Harry's room in Hogwarts through the version of the room that was in her flat.

Hogwarts could defy the laws of physics, but this one was a winner in the "weird things" contest.

Before he did anything about contacting Abby, Snape had to check that his room was unchanged and see where the other new one led to.

Snape's headache intensified when he saw that his room was now Abby's bedroom in the US, but that his bathroom was still the Hogwarts one – with toiletries for three now!

'You okay, Daddy?' Harry asked worriedly.

'Yes, Bunny, but we did a _lot_ of magic. I didn't know it was possible to have rooms linked like that!' Snape said. '_Accio_, Headache potion.'

A phial flew to him, and he drank its entire contents.

'Better! Now, the third door,' Snape said.

All the other doors had to be pushed, but this one needed to be pulled.

Snape opened it.

'Ah!' Abby shouted as the new door opened on the back wall of her office as she was checking her e-mails.

The third door opened in NCIS Headquarters.

'Abigail?' Snape said.

He could see that his girlfriend was right in front of him, but even then he had a hard time processing the fact that there was a door in Hogwarts that opened into Abby's lab in Washington.

Before his headache came back with a vengeance, Abby jumped into his arms and kissed him senseless.

Harry, who was next to his daddy, giggled madly.

'Aw, my bunny!' Abby cooed as she left Snape's embrace to pick up their son.

Harry giggled and grinned.

'Leon knew that this would happen!' Abby said as she put Harry back on the floor.

'What do you mean, Abigail?' Snape asked.

'_Sciuto_!' Vance growled from her office.

She turned towards her boss as if it were completely natural to have him in Washington while, at the same time, she'd stepped through a door and arrived in Scotland, and they still could talk together. 'Still too soon to call you "Leon"?' she asked.

'Well,' Vance said, his voice trailing off.

Snape read Vance's mind, and then whispered something to Abby.

'Oh,' she said. She turned to Vance and said, 'You can call me Abby if you want.'

'Thank you, Abby. _Now_ you may call me Leon,' Vance said.

'Good morning, Mr Vance,' Harry said with a big smile.

'Good morning, Harry. I have a Visitor's badge for you. Would you run to your Uncle Jethro and tell him about the new door?' Vance asked.

Harry nodded several times, took the badge and ran towards the bullpen.

'Did your cousin really say that this door wouldn't be an issue?' Snape asked Vance.

'Been reading my mind again, Snape?' Vance teased the young wizard.

'Yes,' Snape admitted good-naturedly.

'Well, Cecily told me that the door wouldn't be a problem, thanks to McGee and Rae's work, and that it would be very important. If you need a few hours to get used to that connection, I'll understand,' Vance said. 'I'll be in my office.'

Vance left. Snape and Abby left the new door open, and they explored Snape's new Hogwarts quarters. Abby was more excited than if she'd drunk a swimming pool of Greek coffee.

'Do you think Dumbledore is going to ask you to undo your spell?' she asked worriedly as she sat down on the sofa in the parlour.

Snape sat next to her and took her in his arms. 'He's got nothing to say about the magic that the castle created. There are stranger things here,' Snape said. 'Besides, the door will allow Ducky to visit regularly.'

'Excellent point, Professor Snape!' Abby purred.

Snape chuckled and kissed Abby, who snuggled against him.

There was a knock on a door, and Snape thought that it was Gibbs joining them. 'Come in!' he shouted without taking his eyes off of Abby.

However it wasn't Gibbs on the NCIS side, but Pince on the Hogwarts side. She walked in, saw Abby and gaped.

'There's been a bit of extra magic, Irma. Meet Harry's Mum, Abigail Sciuto. Abigail, this is our school librarian, Irma Pince,' Snape said as he and Abby got up.

The Muggle and the witch shook hands.

'I'll take the spell book on mirrors back to the Library. I've made you a copy of _The Tales of Hoppy, The Happy Bunny_,' Pince said.

'Thank you!' Abby said happily.

'Harry's a sweet child,' Pince said.

The librarian handed Abby the book.

'It looks great! Our Bunny will love it,' Abby said as she leafed through the magical book.

'I'll ask my sister what's suitable for such a young child,' Pince added.

'Thank you, Irma,' Snape said.

'Daddy, Mummy!' Harry shouted as he ran back into their Hogwarts quarters.

'Yes, Bunny?' Snape and Abby said.

Pince smiled at the harmony between the new couple.

'Uncle Jethro's coming! Ducky and Tony and Miss Ziva, too! Tim and Auror Ruby work on Mummy's computers,' Harry said.

'Timmy had better not mess with my programmes!' Abby said as she went back to the NCIS side.

Ducky was the first to arrive. Snape introduced him to Pince; Ducky kissed her hand and excused himself to go see Dumbledore.

'Charming man,' Pince commented. 'Poppy said he makes Albus twinkle more than usual.'

'Understatement,' Ziva said as she entered Snape's quarters.

DiNozzo was right behind her, and Snape kept introducing his friends.

'Minerva arrived last night. I'm sure she'd be delighted to see you,' Pince told DiNozzo.

Snape called a house-elf to guide DiNozzo and Ziva to McGonagall's quarters.

'Do you think your fiancée would mind it if I went to her office? I've heard what Muggle computers can do, and I must say that I'm curious,' Pince said.

'I can show you,' Snape said.

'You know how to use Muggle computers?!' Pince squealed.

Snape chuckled and nodded. 'That's somehow what brought us together,' he said.

'Right! Poppy told me about the article that you wrote. I'll have to look for a copy of it to archive it here,' Pince said.

'I've kept a copy of it. I'll give it to you. The only good thing about it is that it allowed me to meet Abigail,' Snape said as he went to Washington with Pince. He called Abby and asked, 'May I borrow your computer?'

'Of course, Sweetie. You know what to do,' Abby said.

Snape was sitting at Abby's desk, and Pince was standing next to him, fascinated with the computer. When Gibbs entered the room, he saw Pince first. For the first time in a long time, Gibbs froze.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	32. Chapter 32

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Snape had located a webpage that Pince found very interesting. He gave her the seat, and she put her hand on the mouse and got the hang of it almost instantly.

Snape saw Pince scroll down the page; she was reading very fast. He looked at her and found that she looked happy and focussed at the same time. Then, for whatever reason, he looked up at that moment and noticed Gibbs standing a few feet from them. Snape's _brother_ was silent and still frozen. Gibbs wasn't gaping, but he was blinking at an unusual rate.

Instinctively, Snape read Gibbs's thoughts. There was deep surprise at being attracted to a woman who wasn't red-haired, like Shannon had been, and guilt for betraying, yet again, the memory of his first love and what they'd had together. Strangely, Snape could relate to his brother's experience; he'd been in love with Lily for years (though Snape now understood what a silly crush that had been compared with what he had with Abby now) and he'd felt what Gibbs was feeling right now.

Snape walked to Gibbs, squeezed his arm and said, 'Let me introduce you to Irma. She's our school Librarian.'

Gibbs was freed from his _spell_, and he looked at Snape. 'Been reading my thoughts?' he asked almost rhetorically.

'Yes, and you don't want me to phone Jackson to tell him you're being silly,' Snape said. In a whisper, he added, 'Besides, I don't think Shannon would be happy to see you spend the rest of your life alone.'

Snape dragged Gibbs to Abby's desk and said, 'Irma, I'd like you to meet my brother, Leroy Jethro Gibbs.'

Pince looked up, smiled at Gibbs and said, 'Pleased to meet you.' She tilted her head and added, 'Do you use your two names?'

Gibbs was tongue-tied.

'His father seems to be the only one who calls him Leroy. Ducky and Harry call him Jethro. The rest of the world calls him Gibbs, even Abigail,' Snape said.

'What should I call you, then?' Pince asked Gibbs.

'Whatever you want, Ma'am,' Gibbs said, hypnotized.

'Really?' she asked in a purr.

Pince may not be a Legilimens like Snape, but she could tell when a man found her attractive. Truth be told, she found Gibbs rather interesting, and the opening onto Abby's lab might be appealing for more reasons than just the computers.

'Yes, Ma'am,' Gibbs said, finding it hard to concentrate to breathe normally.

'I think I'll call you Leroy,' Pince said.

Wisely, Snape said, 'I'll go see what Abigail is doing.'

Snape left his fiancée's office faster than a Snitch, and Gibbs located his brain and started talking with the librarian.

McGee and Auror Rae were working together in order to find a way for the NCIS security system not to start alarms each time a visitor from Hogwarts stepped onto their side of the magical door.

In the end, McGee designed a programme that would allow the cameras to acknowledge a certain kind of Visitors' badges. Ruby worked on spelling the badges that would be left hanging on a nail next to the door on the Hogwarts side; she even added a spell that duplicated the last badge that was taken in Hogwarts so that there would always be a way for Snape – and his fellows (Ruby had seen the magic between Pince and Gibbs) – to go to Abby's lab. Ruby added a spell for the NCIS personnel who would go to Hogwarts after work so that the fact that they had left the building would be registered.

Snape knew that Dumbledore and Ducky would certainly use that door, but since it was in his parlour – not his bedroom, he didn't mind. He wouldn't really be bothered if friends passed through his parlour.

In fact, Snape hoped that Pince and Gibbs would use the door, too. Pince was quite a young witch, and Gibbs had instantly fallen for her _magic_; it'd be nice to see a relationship develop between them.

Perhaps Harry would grow up with cousins, Snape thought. That very thought surprised Snape deeply; apparently, he was beginning to consider Gibbs as his brother, even though they weren't related by blood, and he really hoped that Gibbs could heal thanks to Pince. The other thought that surprised Snape was that if Gibbs and Pince had children, maybe Abigail and he could give Harry siblings.

Snape found it even stranger to have the deep feeling that Harry was their son. Of course, he'd been in love – or something – with Lily Evans, and of course the boy had her eyes, but that was not enough to explain the deep love that Snape had in his heart for that little boy. When he'd barked at Moody and Molly that Harry was his son, he'd spoken the exact truth.

Harry must have put a spell of love on his _daddy_ – and his _mummy_ was in the same state.

Snape reflected that love was a very strange thing.

Friendship was odd, too.

Snape was still a bit angry with Dumbledore because of what the old wizard had tried to do right after Harry's rescue from the Dursleys. However, Snape could see that Ducky was completely besotted with Dumbledore, and Abby was quite fond of the ME, therefore Ducky's happiness was as important to Snape as it was to Abby.

Snape felt that McGee and his own Auror would have better things to do in Washington, and they wouldn't use that new door, but DiNozzo would certainly visit his Gryffindor mentor-in-magic – and Snape was ready to bet his favourite cauldron that Ziva would come visit, too.

Snape was happy that the magic that he'd done would benefit his new friends and brother, but he was ecstatic that he and Harry could spend all their evenings and weekends with Abby.

Snape looked at his girlfriend, who was helping McGee, and he remembered that he would no longer sleep alone. Ever. That thought made him grin; if he were not careful, he'd frighten his Slytherins, and he'd give a collective heart attack to the Gryffindors, which, in his book, might not be a bad thing, but which he knew was something Abby would disapprove of.

It was strange how _Abigail_ had changed his life in just a few days. That was one of the best things that had happened to him up to now – really.

Suddenly, Snape felt the urge to do something special for Abby. He didn't know what, but… _something_.

'Penny for your thoughts,' Ducky said softly as he joined the young wizard.

Snape saw that the old Muggle looked happy – happy for Abby and him, not just because of the door.

Snape decided to trust Ducky, because Abby did. 'I was thinking that Abby might like a surprise, but I don't know what,' Snape whispered very softly.

Ducky tapped a finger on his forehead and said, 'Use Legilimency, my dear Severus. I might have an idea.'

Snape obeyed. "What's your idea?" he inquired in a thought.

"I don't want to know anything about what you do together, but I think there are _spells_ that Abigail would certainly enjoy," Ducky answered.

Snape was happy that this conversation was happening between their two minds. Besides, Legilimency allowed him to know that Ducky wasn't making fun of him. Abby had shown Snape so many nice things that it'd be only fair to repay her with a bit of literal magic in bed.

"I don't know any spell, Ducky," Snape admitted.

"Then go buy a book! I happen to know that several Pillow Books of Spells have been published," Ducky said.

'Really?' Snape asked out loud.

Ducky smiled at him. His mind had been open and true – Snape knew it.

'Thank you!' Snape said.

'You're most welcome, my dear boy,' Ducky said warmly.

Snape walked to Abby. She was still working with McGee, and now Harry had wrapped his arms around his mummy's right leg.

'Would you keep an eye on Harry, Abigail? There's something I must go buy in London,' Snape said.

'No problem, Honey,' she answered immediately. Curiosity got the best of her, and she asked, 'What do you want to buy?'

'Something for _our_ quarters,' he said.

She heard him loud and clear and grinned happily.

Snape caressed Abby's hand, ruffled Harry's hair and then was gone to his quarters. There, he used the Floo Network to go to Flourish and Blotts. He was quite lost in the adult section when he saw Lucius Malfoy walk towards that part of the bookshop; Snape was thankful that Narcissa was right behind her husband.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	33. Chapter 33

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Malfoy noticed Snape and walked towards him to tease him. 'Are you looking for an elementary sex guide?' Malfoy sneered.

Before Snape could retort anything, Narcissa cuffed the back of her husband's head, making his carefully combed hair fly in every direction, and growled, 'Go on, insult one of the few people who might be able to help us.'

'Do you need help with something, Narcissa?' Snape asked kindly.

Malfoy was a pain in the neck, but Narcissa had been nice to Abby, and that meant the world to Snape.

'Yes,' she whispered shyly.

Malfoy was about to say something nasty, but one look from his wife froze him.

'What kind of potion do you need?' Snape asked Narcissa.

She took another step towards him and murmured, 'I'm not even sure there's a potion for that. I dragged Lucius here to look for a book.'

Snape looked at Malfoy without animosity and then turned to Narcissa and smiled. 'What do you need?' he inquired gently.

Narcissa blushed and whispered, 'It would be unfair to Draco for him to remain an only child.'

'Oh,' Snape said.

'Go on. Make fun of us!' Malfoy said aggressively.

'I would never do such a despicable thing!' Snape retorted. He paused and added, 'Well, I would, but only if you were the only one involved.'

Narcissa chuckled at the offended and surprised and utterly ridiculous expression on her husband's face.

'Narcissa!' Malfoy exclaimed.

'Don't be silly, my Dear,' she said.

'There are many potions that could help you, but I need to ask you a few very personal questions. I would never betray your trust, even though I'm not bound by any Healers' Oath, but I must know if you're willing to trust me completely and answer honestly. The wrong potion would do more harm than good,' Snape said.

'We'll trust you!' Narcissa answered instantly.

Lucius nodded once, as if it were painful to agree.

'My quarters… erm… need to adapt to the magic I did when I transformed them to accommodate my son, but you could come to Hogwarts tomorrow if you wish. I could start working on what you need now since the students are not due for a fortnight,' Snape said.

'Really?' Narcissa asked eagerly.

Malfoy spoiled the mood by asking, 'What will you demand for payment?'

'Lucius!' his wife hissed.

Snape ignored Malfoy entirely and asked Narcissa, 'Would you agree to have our sons play together from time to time?'

'That would be fantastic!' Narcissa said. 'My poor lamb is so lonely.'

'Narcissa! Do you remember who his _son_ is? Our Lord would kill us if our son were to befriend his enemy,' Malfoy whispered just loud enough for his wife and Snape to hear.

'We'll have to talk about _that_, too,' Snape declared confidently.

Narcissa felt something and asked, 'What do you mean?'

'There are things that can be stopped if measures are taken,' Snape said.

'You'll be punished when _He_ comes back,' Malfoy whispered.

'If he can come back,' Snape retorted. 'Do you want to live your life in fear?' he asked.

Malfoy flinched. He, too, had been lured to join Voldemort's followers; if there was a way out of that slavery, he'd take the best offer – that is what Malfoys do.

'We'll see you tomorrow. Let's meet in my lab. I trust you remember where it is,' Snape said.

'Shall I bring Draco?' Narcissa asked.

'I'm sure Harry will be happy to have a friend his age with whom to play,' Snape said.

'Thank you!' Narcissa said.

'You'll thank me when it works,' Snape said.

The Malfoys walked back towards the front door. Malfoy was looking straight ahead, and he never turned back. Narcissa swirled with her wand in hand and made a tiny book fly to Snape; she winked and caught up with her husband. Malfoy was annoying, but she loved him.

Snape was looking at the title of the book when a female shop attendant walked by and whispered, 'Best book we've got on the topic, Sir.'

Snape smiled, bought it and Floo'ed back home.

He put the Wizarding pillow book under his pillow, and he went to tell all his friends that the Malfoys might be brought to their side if shown that it would be better for them.

Pince was added to the anti-Voldemort, Horcrux-hunting team. She worked with Dumbledore, McGonagall and DiNozzo to find – Dark – spells that would help them identify and locate the Horcruxes, and determine how many there were, too.

Snape's parlour was buzzing with activity that first day after the creation of the magical doors, but the evening was rather quiet. Harry and Snape shared tea with the staff who had already arrived, and then they retreated to their home in the castle. Abby left her lab early and joined her new family through her lab's back door; she was right on time to read Harry the beginning of the adventures of Hoppy, the bunny. Harry fell asleep, smiling and holding his plushy owl.

Abby and Snape retreated to their parlour and sat on the sofa, and she settled on his lap.

'We're so lucky!' Abby said happily.

Snape nodded fervently.

'This castle is a great place! Putting a spell on mirrors would have been great, but this is fantastic. I'm sure Gibbs is going to tease me because of the time difference I'll have to get used to, but I know I can do it,' Abby said.

'We'll come to your side on the weekends so as not to tire you too much,' Snape said.

'No, Honey, I can do it, and it would be too tiring for Harry,' Abby said.

'I'll find a potion for you, Sweetie,' he promised.

Abby almost purred at the endearment; her Severus was really opening up.

'What did you buy?' Abby asked.

'Don't you want me to surprise you?' he asked.

Abby looked at him, obviously torn. 'Can I get a clue?' she asked.

'Really?' he teased her.

She nodded fervently.

'All right, then,' he said as he proceeded to kiss her deeply.

'Whoa! I love your clue, Baby!' she said.

They snogged on the sofa and decided after just a few minutes that going to bed would be even better.

The magic in Snape's spell had completely mixed his old Hogwarts bedroom with Abby's Washington one. They had everything that had been in each room at the time of the spell stored in the new room; it was still Abby's room, but with a bigger wardrobe and another chest of drawers with both their clothes. The room was the same, but slightly bigger, and now the bed Snape had transfigured was the four-poster that was standard issue in Hogwarts.

'Sev, is it me or did the bed change sometime in the afternoon?' Abby asked.

'It did,' he answered.

'Do you think we should expect a few surprises?' she inquired. Her tone of voice indicated that she wasn't afraid at all; in fact, she sounded quite eager to have magical surprises.

Snape chuckled and said, 'I'm sorry, but the spell has settled now.'

Abby pouted adorably, which prompted him to give her another kiss.

'I'll get rid of my make up, and then we can try the new bed,' she said saucily.

'Fine with me,' he practically purred.

Abby went to the bathroom, but the room was fully Hogwarts's creation, and there were none of her things in it.

'I'll have to hop by the other bathroom for some lotion,' she announced. Her hand was on the handle when she turned to Snape and asked, 'You don't mind, do you?'

'Abigail, I want you in my life. I'm perfectly fine with having your make-up and lotions and what-not in our bathroom,' he said.

'Thank you!'

He put one hand on her arm before she exited to the Washington side into her flat, the side that was opening instead of Snape's parlour when she merely thought about it and wished to go there.

'Abigail, I heard Gibbs say something to Irma. Something about you… Something that troubles me,' he said.

'What, Sev?'

'Don't you want to get married?' he asked.

Abby blinked. She'd told Gibbs and DiNozzo a few times that she'd never get married – and she'd meant it… at the time.

'Do you?' she asked.

'I asked first,' he said.

'Meeting _you_ changed _everything_, but if it's not important for you, I'm not going to pester you to go to church and get married,' she answered.

'You'd marry _me_?' he asked.

'Anytime,' she answered.

He beamed at her and grinned. The next second, he was frowning.

'What's wrong?' she asked.

'I don't believe in God,' he said.

She chuckled, hugged him and said, 'Not a problem, Love! We could even do it the Wizarding way, whatever _you_ do.'

'Handfasting,' he said.

'Would you like that?' she asked.

He nodded once.

'Severus Snape, would you like us to have a handfasting ceremony sometime before the next millennium?' Abby asked very seriously.

'Yes, but if you prefer another kind of ceremony,' he began to say, but her lips on his sealed their agreement.

'A bit of magic to celebrate _our_ magic is perfectly fine with me,' she declared.

She dragged Snape with her to her flat and had him help her pack a few things she'd need on the Hogwarts side.

While she was putting her things in their Hogwarts bathroom, Snape managed to read about one of the spells in his new book. It was something that Abby enjoyed tremendously.

The lovers fell asleep in each other's arms.

When he woke up, Snape understood that the book he'd stored under his pillow had taught him the spells during the night. Snape didn't know about that kind of magic; he'd have to ask one of his trusted friends if it was normal.

Snape and Abby got up at dawn and tried to figure out the best schedule for Abby.

A few hours later, the Malfoys Apparated to Hogsmeade.

Malfoy was slightly wary and pretended to look blasé.

Narcissa was hopeful.

Draco was very excited to meet a possible friend.

'We should hire a brougham to go to Hogwarts,' Malfoy said.

'We can walk there. It's a beautiful day, and don't want you and our son to turn into lazy creatures. I will not tolerate it,' Narcissa said.

Malfoy sighed, but didn't protest.

'I didn't know the pretty maid was the man of the family,' someone said behind them.

Draco didn't know that man yet, but his parents did, and they both shivered with raw fear.

The wizard who'd spoken was obviously drunk, and dealing with him was already difficult when he was sober. He looked in the mood to cause trouble, too.

Any warlock would have been preferable to having a drunken Fenrir Greyback in the mood to tease you – the man was a follower of the Dark Lord and a rogue werewolf, too.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	34. Chapter 34

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Malfoy steeled himself to answer Greyback; the man could smell fear, literally, and it would be dangerous to fight with him since he was known to turn healthy people into werewolves for fun.

Malfoy turned to Greyback and sneered, 'You'll have to agree that she's right. Besides, being healthy and swift can be useful in a fight.'

'What do you know about fighting, Lucius? You're a poodle,' Greyback snorted.

'Our master trusted me,' Malfoy spat.

He really hoped that mentioning Voldemort would sober up the werewolf a bit.

Greyback snorted and started to yell that the Dark Lord must have been mistaken to trust the Malfoys. That unexpected outburst provided Malfoy with a perfect excuse to pick up Draco, hand him to Narcissa, wrap an arm around her and Disapparate his family to the gates of Hogwarts.

'Brilliant!' Narcissa sighed with relief.

'Papa?' Draco asked with a small voice. The boy had never seen his father being frightened by anything.

'I'm fine, Draco. The wizard we've just met is very dangerous, and if you see him, I want you to hide and wait until I come, or Mama or a house-elf you know comes to rescue you. All right?' Malfoy said.

Draco nodded several times.

'Lucius!' Narcissa said worriedly.

'Dearest?' he said.

'He knows where we're going. We should hurry. Dumbledore can protect us inside the castle,' she said.

'He wouldn't dare attack us,' Malfoy said.

'You know what he's capable off,' she whispered urgently.

Malfoy nodded, and they entered the grounds. They were halfway to the castle when Greyback caught up with them.

He punched Malfoy and almost knocked him out before he could react. Narcissa's wand flew out of her hand when Greyback hit her.

From the ground, Malfoy saw Greyback drag his wife and son towards the Forbidden Forest. He knew that he was in no shape to hunt Greyback down and fight him off in his state; he needed help.

Ducky was going down to breakfast with Dumbledore when he spotted the dishevelled wizard running as if Death himself was behind him.

Pomfrey cast a few emergency spells on Malfoy, but he refused to stay in the hospital while his wife and son were in danger.

Malfoy ran to the Forbidden Forest with Dumbledore and Snape. Pince rushed to the nearest fireplace to call for help at the Ministry. Ducky went to the kitchen with Harry and Abby.

'Harry, my Bunny, you're going to have breakfast with Ducky,' Abby said.

Harry was still very sleepy, and he nodded obediently.

Abby grabbed a poker near the fireplace.

'Abigail,' Ducky said softly. 'Are you sure you want to go?'

'Yes, Ducky. I wouldn't hesitate to use my taser on Malfoy again, but his kid is Harry's age, and Narcissa was nice. Even if I can't find them, I've got to try. I've got to go help them,' she said.

'I understand. Be careful,' Ducky said as he nodded towards Harry, who was being served breakfast by an army of eager house-elves.

A house-elf followed Abby.

'Mistress?' the elf called softly.

Abby swirled around, saw the elf and crouched. 'Yes, Dear?' she asked.

The elf blinked. The house-elves who worked at Hogwarts had a privileged life compared to most of their fellows working for Wizarding families, but respect as strong as what was emanating from Abby was unusual.

'Mistress Sciuto should not go into the Forest without magic,' she said.

'I'm not as powerless as you fear, Dear,' Abby said.

Snape had told Abby how powerful house-elves were, but she had a hard time believing that they could face powerful wizards as equals if they wanted. She wanted to protect a tiny creature that wasn't any taller than Harry, therefore she placed one hand on the elf's shoulder and she added, 'You should stay here, where it's safe.'

Abby squeezed the elf's shoulder and left.

The elf, whose name was Greenli, blinked several times. The young Muggle was very nice, and since she was so strongly linked to a member of the Hogwarts staff, Greenli decided to follow Abby… just in case she encountered some _creature_ in the Forest.

When Abby reached the ground floor, she met two wizards she didn't know.

'Who are you?' she growled, poker firmly in hand.

'Pince called the Ministry,' one of the wizards said. He looked about Snape's age, but he was obviously exhausted, and perhaps sick.

'We called Aurors, but most of them think Malfoy deserves whatever happens to him. They won't hurry here,' the other wizard said. He was slightly older, slightly plump, and definitely red-haired.

'Okay, and who the hell are _you_?!' Abby growled as the three of them exited the castle.

'Arthur Weasley,' the older wizard said.

'Remus Lupin,' the other said.

Abby froze and paled. She paled with anger, not fear.

'What's wrong?' Remus asked her kindly.

Abby pointed a finger at Arthur and asked in a growl, 'Any link with a witch called Molly?'

'She's my wife,' Arthur said. 'How do you know her?'

Abby couldn't tell Arthur that Molly had tried to steal Harry from Snape when Dumbledore announced that the boy no longer needed his aunt's protection. She didn't want the Memory-charm performed on Molly to vanish.

'I've met her. She won't remember me, but I _do_ remember her,' Abby said.

Arthur felt that he wouldn't get more from the Muggle.

Abby turned towards Remus and said, 'When all this is settled, we'll need to talk – you and I, because I seriously doubt that my boyfriend's going to be in the mood to chat with you.'

'Huh?' was all Remus could say.

Arthur was more talkative. 'Why do you want to talk with Remus? Who's your boyfriend?' he asked.

'I want to know more about Lily Evans and James Potter,' Abby began to say.

'Why?' Remus asked.

'Because Harry adopted me. He adopted my boyfriend first, though,' she said.

Remus grabbed Abby's arms, made her stop, and with tears in his eyes he asked, 'Did you really rescue him?'

Abby could see that Remus was truly concerned for Harry's well-being. 'Yes,' Abby said. The real test was yet to come, and she added, 'And Severus is his _father_ now. Legally.'

'Severus Snape?' Remus asked.

Arthur was busy gaping.

'Yes, _Severus_,' Abby said.

'And no one can contest his adoption of Harry? Harry's safe?' Remus asked.

'Harry's safe with _us_,' Abby said.

Snape had told her a few things about Remus; he'd even admitted that Remus's situation among the Marauders, the boys who had bullied him at school, was certainly very difficult. Remus had been bitten by Greyback as a child, and he'd become a werewolf. Remus was always afraid of being shunned – or worse.

Abby was hoping for a positive reaction, but Remus's hugging her exceeded her expectations.

'I'm so happy. I know that Severus wouldn't allow it, but if you need anything, just say the word,' Remus said. He stopped hugging Abby and added with a goofy grin and tears in his eyes, 'Whoever you are.'

'Abby Sciuto,' she said, briefly hugging Remus. She turned to Arthur and added, 'And when you tell your wife that we have Harry, she'd better not try _anything_, or you'll end up a widower.'

They'd reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest now.

'You should stay here. The place is dangerous even with a wand,' Remus said.

'You're sweet, but being afraid and doing nothing is not going to make the bad people go away. I've had my share of baddies, gentlemen,' she said.

Bravely, Abby entered the Forest. Remus and Arthur followed. Greenli was right behind them, invisible, thanks to a spell.

After merely a few yards, Arthur started talking. Abby silenced him; she was listening to the sounds of the Forest. Remus might have been able to help them more, thanks to his heightened senses, but he wasn't used to nature.

Abby heard something and started running towards that. The wizards had a hard time following her.

Remus, and then Arthur, finally heard a whimper.

They all reached its source – Narcissa. She'd fought with Greyback, he'd pushed her away with all his strength, and she'd landed on the skeleton of some beast. The witch was impaled on a bone and trapped in the carcass. She'd lost a lot of blood, and she was worried sick about her son, who was still with Greyback.

Abby rushed to Narcissa.

'Draco! He's got Draco!' Narcissa gasped as she tried again to free herself.

Abby placed one hand on Narcissa's shoulder and said, 'Your husband warned us. We're going to find your baby.'

'Free me, and I'll hunt the werewolf down,' Narcissa said.

Abby turned to Remus and said, 'She's lost too much blood. Make her sleep.'

Remus obeyed before Narcissa could protest.

'You're going to need to work together. You must free her from the bones, but don't move them, or she'll bleed to death. Take her to Poppy as smoothly as you can,' Abby told them.

'Miss Sciuto, you can't go after Greyback alone,' Remus said.

Abby didn't even turn around when she snorted.

'I wonder how long she's been with Severus,' Arthur said to no one in particular.

Remus blinked, and then turned to Narcissa. 'How do we proceed?' he asked Arthur.

'You hold her, and I'll cut the bone,' Arthur said.

They freed the witch, who was still asleep, and then they discovered that whatever creature she'd fallen on must have been magical, and they couldn't put a spell on her to make her float back to the castle.

'We'll have to carry her,' Remus declared.

'Could you do that alone?' Arthur said. 'I could go help the others.'

'I'm already infected; Greyback can't threaten me,' Remus said.

'Remus, you can get her to safety faster than I can, and if he bites you another time, it might kill you,' Arthur pointed out gently.

Remus had to admit that his friend was right.

Remus picked up Narcissa and walked back to the castle. Arthur tried to follow Abby, but he got lost.

In the meantime, Abby heard voices, voices she didn't know – a man and a child. The child was sobbing, and the man was taunting the boy.

Abby jogged to the small opening where they were in the Forest, and she yelled, 'Hey, you!'

Greyback turned towards the voice. The drunken wizard smirked when he felt that the woman had no magic.

He smirked even more when she ran towards him, poker at the ready.

He stopped smirking when his wand produced no spell and when the poker hit him on the head.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	35. Chapter 35

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Greyback's head must have been made of stone, because he was just very groggy, not knocked out. Abby took his wand and broke it; next she rushed to Draco and picked him up.

The boy remembered Abby, and in spite of what his father had told him, the boy welcomed his rescuer.

'I'm Abby, Sweetie. I'm going to take you to your mum and dad,' Abby said.

'Thanks,' Draco mumbled.

Abby hugged him as fiercely as if he were Harry. 'Did he hurt you?' she asked worriedly.

'No, he hurt Mama. He scar' me,' Draco said with a small voice.

'It's okay, Sweetie,' she said.

Greyback groaned, rubbed his head and looked for his wand. When he saw what Abby had done, he staggered to his feet and growled, 'Bitch!'

'Language!' Abby growled right back as she swirled around.

'You broke my wand!' he shouted.

'You brought it upon yourself, silly wizard. You can't threaten people and hope that no one will ever challenge you. I'm not afraid of you,' Abby said.

'You should be. I'm going to eat your heart, little girl,' Greyback snarled.

'Arrogant idiot!' Abby snapped.

Greyback started walking towards Abby and Draco. He was staggering a bit, but not as much as Abby hoped he would after being hit with a poker on the head.

Draco whimpered.

'Don't be afraid. I'll protect you,' Abby told the boy.

'Not without magic, little girl,' Greyback said with a nasty smirk.

'And you're a sexist, too!' Abby growled, completely unfazed.

She wanted to deliver the next blow when Greyback had tired himself walking towards her, therefore she waited.

She prepared to strike with the poker and she said, 'If I had duct-tape, I'd have you bound and gagged.'

A flash of light came from the poker, and Greyback found himself bound and gagged and writhing on the ground.

Abby swirled around, convinced that a wizard or a witch had come to her rescue, but there was no one.

Greenli made herself visible and said softly, 'Mistress Sciuto should give me that poker.'

Abby turned to the house-elf and said, 'Aw! You shouldn't have put yourself in danger to help me.'

Greenli shook her head madly and said, 'Greenli merely followed you, Mistress Sciuto. Master Malfoy showed signs of magic, and you channelled the spell. Mistress Sciuto should give me the poker before it becomes too hot for her to hold.'

Abby was beginning to feel something odd in her fingers, and she relinquished the poker to Greenli.

'Thank you, Dear,' she told the elf, whose ears flapped with delight.

Abby hugged Draco and said, 'Look at you, you're a big boy. You're a wizard like your daddy.'

Draco beamed at his rescuer.

Greenli broke the magic when she squeaked.

Abby looked at Greyback, but he was still securely bound. She looked towards the trees and saw a giant spider coming towards them.

'Food,' the spider said.

Abby remained composed and calm, which astounded Greenli and Draco.

'You talk!' Abby exclaimed.

'Yes,' the spider answered.

'Is it common to have spiders able to talk in the Wizarding world?' Abby asked.

The spider's eyes seemed to blink with surprise. Most creatures who'd met him had been scared to death – except Hagrid, the keeper of the keys and grounds, who was fond of unusual creatures – but this tiny female wasn't afraid at all.

'No... Not usual,' the spider said.

'You must be lonely in this forest. What's your name? Do you have a name?' Abby asked.

'Aragog. I was named Aragog. I'm lonely and hungry,' he answered.

'He's going to eat us,' Greenli squeaked.

For a moment, Draco feared that he'd fallen from the frying pan into the fire.

'No, he wouldn't do that,' Abby said confidently.

'Why not?' Aragog asked.

'Well, Draco is very small. He's _too_ small,' Abby said.

'Yes… Yes, he is,' Aragog said. 'I could eat _you_.'

'I'm a Muggle. I don't have magic. I bet I would taste awful,' Abby said.

'Yes… You must be right. No magic, bad taste,' Aragog conceded. 'I could munch the house-elf though.'

Instinctively, Greenli grabbed Abby's leg.

'You can't. Without her I'd be lost here. You don't want us to be lost here, do you? Besides, if you don't let us go, we can't bring you a treat from the castle,' Abby said.

'A treat?' Aragog said.

It was an odd experience to see a giant spider drool.

'Yes. What would you like?' Abby asked.

'Something fresh. Something I can't hunt here,' Aragog said.

'Okay, we can do that. Will we find you here?' Abby asked.

'I'm looking for a place for my nest. I move. Tonight, I'll meet you by the Whomping Willow at sunset,' the spider declared.

'Where's the Whomping Willow?' Abby asked.

'Professor Snape knows,' Greenli whispered.

'Perfect. We'll see you tonight. Do you mind if we come with friends? I'm sure they'll be happy to meet you,' Abby said.

Aragog remained silent. That was not because he was hesitating, but because he'd noticed that Draco's first spell was wearing off. He put two legs on Greyback.

'If you think they won't be afraid,' Aragog said finally.

'All right, Aragog. Maybe we should take Greyback with us. The man must be tried,' Abby said.

'He escaped trial before,' Greenli said.

'Leave me my food,' Aragog said.

Before Abby could say anything, Aragog had bitten the werewolf, and his poison started dissolving Greyback's insides.

'He's a werewolf. He make you sick,' Draco said.

'Are you afraid for me, wizard?' Aragog asked, deeply surprised.

Draco nodded.

Aragog brought his head close to Draco and Abby. The boy caressed the spider's head.

'So sweet! But werewolves are spicy,' Aragog said. 'I must escort you to safety.'

He flattened himself on the ground, invited Abby, Draco and Greenli on his back and galloped to the edge of the Forbidden Forest even faster than a Centaur would have.

'Whoa!' Draco exclaimed when they all dismounted.

Aragog seemed to smile. Then he said, 'First meal must be ready now. See you at sunset.'

'Can you eat anything?' Abby asked.

Aragog nodded.

'We'll have a feast for you. Thanks for the ride!' Abby said.

In the wink of an eye, Aragog was gone, off to devour Greyback.

'Now, that was quite an adventure,' Abby said. She really wanted Draco to forget that the wizard who had abducted him was dead, or almost dead.

Abby knew that Draco would need a long talk with his parents – and possibly a Wizarding psychologist, or something – when he said, 'I hope he doesn't get a stomach ache.'

Greyback was probably a psychopath, but Draco was reacting strangely.

'Greenli, we need to tell the others that we've found Draco,' Abby said.

The house-elf snapped her fingers and said, 'Done, Mistress Sciuto.'

Just a few minutes later, Arthur Weasley, Dumbledore, Snape and Malfoy joined Abby, Draco and Greenli.

Abby told them what happened, and she had to repeat everything for Narcissa, who was being patched up by Pomfrey.

'My baby showed signs of magic!' Narcissa exclaimed as she tried to rise from her pillow.

Pomfrey put a hand on Narcissa's brow and pushed her back unceremoniously. 'I'm not casting those spells on you again today!' she growled. 'There shall be no lasting damage if you don't move for the next hour.'

'You must listen to Madam Pomfrey,' Malfoy told his wife.

'It's Poppy, Lucius. I patched you up often enough when you were reading here. And now be a good boy and hop onto the bed next to your wife's,' Pomfrey said.

Malfoy blinked several times, but one nasty glare from the Mediwitch made him obey.

Abby deposited Draco next to his mother.

'Mama?' Draco said with a small voice.

'I'll be fine in a minute, Draco. Don't worry,' Narcissa said.

'Really?' Draco asked.

Narcissa took a deep breath, but before she could answer, Pomfrey intervened, 'Your mama really is going to be back to normal long before lunch.'

'Ouch, dinner. I'll have to place a massive order for Aragog,' Abby whispered to Snape.

Malfoy and Greenli heard her, and both said at the same time, 'We'll help.'

Greenli blushed and added, 'The Hogwarts house-elves will be proud to help.'

'And our house-elves are at your disposal,' Malfoy said.

'I don't want to bother you,' Abby said.

Narcissa chuckled.

Abby looked at the blonde witch on the bed and tilted her head.

'There's one magical custom that I must explain,' Narcissa began.

Narcissa looked at her husband, who nodded.

'You were holding Draco when he showed signs of magic,' Snape told his girlfriend. 'Therefore you're his Wizarding godmother.'

'Cool!' said a young voice.

The house-elves had informed Ducky that the Malfoy family was safe and sound, and he'd decided to escort Harry to the hospital wing.

'Hello!' Draco told Harry.

'Go meet Harry. You're family now,' Narcissa said.

Harry looked at Draco's mother and asked, 'Like cousins?'

Narcissa looked at her husband; she needed to have him agree to everything. Malfoy looked at Harry, so small and so much like his Draco.

'Something like that,' Malfoy said.

'Cool,' Draco said.

Both boys hopped on a bed and started chatting away as if they were truly related and they'd known each other all their lives.

'Snape?' Malfoy said.

'Malfoy?' he answered.

'The child…' Malfoy paused and corrected himself. 'Your _son_ doesn't have the scar Headmaster Dumbledore mentioned years ago.'

'I freed him from what the Dark Lord had left in him,' Snape explained. He discreetly prepared his wand in case Malfoy was a true and complete follower of Voldemort and he needed to curse Malfoy, and then he added, 'Just the way Harry freed me from the Dark Mark.'

'How is that possible?' Narcissa inquired.

'With love,' Abby said.

'I couldn't have dreamt of a better godmother,' Narcissa said softly.

'I guess that makes Snape Draco's godfather,' Malfoy said.

Snape used Legilimency on Malfoy, and all he saw was a deep wish to be freed from a madman who was bound to come back as soon as he'd have gathered enough energy to restore his hexed body. Today's adventure had taught Malfoy that his wife and son were more important than anything else.

Snape nodded; becoming Draco's godfather would not be a burden.

'I was alone when I did magic. I won't have godparents?' Harry asked.

Snape flinched. Harry had been given a godfather after his birth because his parents wanted one of their friends to be linked to their son. Sirius Black was, to that day, Harry's godfather.

However, Snape – and everybody else – believed that Black was the one who'd betrayed the Potters. The man was in Azkaban, but Snape didn't want his son to be told about his link with the traitor.

Snape improvised. 'You have a godfather,' he said.

Snape's friends in the Wizarding community thought that he was ready to mention Black.

'Who?' Harry asked eagerly.

Snape turned and pointed at one of the wizards who were there. 'Remus Lupin,' he said.

Remus gaped.

Snape projected a thought at Remus, "Mention Black and I'll turn you into a potion ingredient."

Remus knew that his old school fellow was dead serious.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	36. Chapter 36

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Go introduce yourself to your godson,' Snape told Remus.

'Are you sure, Severus?' Remus inquired in a whisper.

Snape glared, which prompted Remus to obey.

'Your adoption of Harry makes the werewolf the child's _new_ godfather,' Malfoy told Snape.

Snape looked at the wizard on the bed and snorted.

'Gee! Sev didn't know that,' Abby snorted.

Malfoy blinked, and his wife chuckled.

'I'm sure Remus will be a good godfather,' Abby told her boyfriend.

'He's a much better option than the traitor,' Snape hissed.

Abby rubbed Snape's forearm and said, 'Everything will be fine.'

'The good thing is that my decision doesn't imply that he'll have to move in with us,' Snape growled.

Abby smiled at him and said, 'You've got to get used to having one brother. Adding another one so soon might be just a little too much.'

'You know what Lupin did to me! He'll never be my brother,' Snape growled.

Abby wrapped her hands around Snape's biceps, put her chin on his shoulder and said softly, 'You told me it wasn't his fault. Read his thoughts, Sev.'

He knew that she wouldn't leave him alone until he'd done so – and she _would_ know if he'd listened to her or not.

Snape turned to Remus, who was sitting next to Harry and Draco. The boys were asking him many questions about his life, as if they could learn everything about him in the next five minutes.

When Snape invaded Remus's thoughts, he was almost overwhelmed by the strength of the werewolf's feelings. Remus was trying not to cry, in spite of the fact that the only child of his only friends was next to him, safe and sound, even though Dumbledore had entrusted the baby to Muggles who loathe magic.

Remus knew he had to be patient for Harry's wellbeing – and Snape saw that Remus was ready to do anything for Harry, even if it meant that telling the boy about Lily and James would have to wait. The other thing that surprised Snape was that Remus found Abby a truly charming lady, and he was truly grateful to Snape for allowing him in Harry's life.

Snape groaned and then glared at his girlfriend.

Abby just squeezed his arm and whispered, 'You'll have to get used to my instincts. And if you want confirmation, just ask Gibbs; I swear the man has a built-in truth detector.'

'Speaking of Jethro, Abigail, we should go to work,' Ducky said.

'Will you be all right?' she asked Snape, who nodded and squeezed her hand.

Abby turned to the Malfoys and said, 'I guess I'll see you tonight, then. Get some rest.'

'I should go back to my office,' Arthur Weasley said. 'I'll Floo from here.'

'Arthur, can you keep what happened here secret?' Dumbledore asked.

'Of course, I'll tell Fudge that the Malfoys were found, and he'll forget about the episode,' Arthur said. He turned to Abby and added, 'I'll come back tonight with something for the acromantula. That'll thank him for what he did, and it'll allow us to talk.'

'Let's do that,' Abby said.

The two American Muggles kissed Harry's brow and went to Washington. On the way down to Snape's quarters, they both agreed to put off mentioning Abby's adventures in the Forbidden Forest to Gibbs for as long as they could.

'Lupin, could you cast a Silencing spell around you and the boys?' Snape asked.

Remus obeyed instantly.

'Since you'll have to stay here for the day, I can start working on something for you,' Snape told the Malfoys.

'Do you know a potion that would help us have another child?' Narcissa asked.

Snape cast a Diagnosis spell and traded looks with Pomfrey.

'There _is_ a potion,' Snape said. He paused theatrically and added, 'Or there's another way. More radical. Dangerous, but with positive results.'

'What is it?' Narcissa inquired.

'Headmaster?' Snape asked Dumbledore.

The old wizard nodded.

'You can help us destroy the Dark Lord,' Snape declared.

Narcissa gasped, and Malfoy paled.

'You'll all get killed! Our Master is immortal,' Malfoy said.

'Not if we destroy the Horcruxes he's made,' Snape stated quietly.

'Horcruxes?!' Malfoy gasped.

'That explains his mental state,' Narcissa declared as if she were giving the time of day.

Snape almost laughed at her husband's shocked expression.

Narcissa turned her head towards her husband and said, 'I love you, Lucius, but I refuse to endanger our son in a war that could last for decades – or more.'

'Our Master cannot be defeated,' Malfoy mumbled.

'Lily would have killed him if it weren't for the Horcruxes he's made. Harry freed me from the Dark Mark because the Dark Lord had transferred the gift of being a Parselmouth into Harry when he attacked him. That ability died when I destroyed the part of Riddle's soul that was trapped in Harry. Riddle wants us to believe that he's invincible, but he's not. He never was,' Snape said.

Malfoy was still unsure, but Narcissa helped him make a choice.

'I simply refuse to endanger our son,' Narcissa said.

'Being my son should be a protection,' Malfoy said.

'Lucius, we're talking about a man who split his soul, a man who welcomed a demented werewolf among his followers,' Narcissa said. When she saw that her husband was still unconvinced, she added, 'He welcomed Bellatrix among his followers, for Merlin's sake!'

Malfoy flinched at the mention of his not-so-sane sister-in-law.

'What if one day he comes back and orders you to hand our son to Bellatrix? I don't want that to happen. Besides, now _Abby_ and Severus are Draco's godparents. We are magically linked with them, and I say we work with them. I don't know about you, Lucius, but I will help them. For our son, and for you,' Narcissa said.

'Without the Dark magic in your body, you wouldn't need any potion to have another heir,' Pomfrey intervened.

'What is your plan?' Malfoy asked Dumbledore and Snape.

'Find and destroy the Horcruxes, and then locate Riddle and finish what Lily started. I don't want that warlock to come after my son and try to hurt and kill him,' Snape said.

'Are you mad, Snape? You talk about this as if it were something as simple as a Levitation charm! This is the Dark Lord we're talking about! And stop calling him that name!' Malfoy said.

'_Riddle_? That's his real name, not the pompous name he gave himself,' Snape said coolly.

Dumbledore was surprised, and Pomfrey was quite happy to see that Snape was recovering from whatever he'd had to do since he'd joined the Death Eaters – and later as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix.

'Abigail said she knows a Voodoo priestess. I've sent a message to her,' Snape said.

'Why didn't you tell me?!' Dumbledore barked.

Snape glared at the old man and barked back, 'I didn't tell you because it was merely a note to see if she'd be interested in helping us, because it's about protecting _my_ son, and because you were otherwise occupied with Donald.'

Dumbledore blushed at the mention of his boyfriend. Narcissa and Pomfrey chuckled as discreetly as possible.

'Riddle was particularly demented by the end, but he can't have made a dozen Horcruxes,' Snape stated.

'No, but six would be possible,' Dumbledore stated.

'Logical,' Malfoy conceded.

'The part inside Harry must have been an accident,' Narcissa said.

Snape nodded, in full agreement.

'That snake of his was always protected by potent spells,' Malfoy pointed out.

'He doesn't strike me as the kind of pet-loving man,' Snape said.

'The only thing he loves is himself,' Narcissa murmured.

'Did he ever entrust documents to any of his followers? Parchments that would hold clues as to the hiding places of his Horcruxes,' Dumbledore asked Snape and the Malfoys.

'Not to me. We talked about potions, but not about other operations,' Snape said.

'I'm not familiar with the magic required to make a Horcrux. Can anything be used?' Narcissa asked.

'Any object will do. Why?' Dumbledore inquired.

'A few weeks before he disappeared after attacking the Potters he entrusted Bellatrix with something. Bellatrix pretended that it was a cup that had belonged to Hufflepuff herself,' Narcissa explained.

'Do you know where Lestrange put it?' Snape asked.

'In her Gringotts' vault, I think,' she answered.

'Did she trust you to have access to it?' Dumbledore asked eagerly.

Narcissa shook her head.

'There might be a way,' Malfoy said softly.

'What's your idea?' Dumbledore asked.

'If Malfoy threatens the goblins to withdraw all his money from his vault, he plans to convince them to allow Narcissa to enter her sister's vault. Besides, Bellatrix has been sent to Azkaban, and there could be some family issue to settle,' Snape said.

'I always suspected that you were a Legilimens,' Malfoy said.

'I was merely being logical, Malfoy. Is that not what you're planning to do?' Snape lied easily.

Malfoy blinked; he had no way to be sure that Snape had read his thoughts.

'Well, you're right,' Malfoy said.

'There's something bothering you,' Narcissa said.

Malfoy sighed. He had to change his loyalties, and it was difficult. He looked at his son, a child who looked so much like him; the boy was playing with a werewolf and with the child who had survived an encounter with the Dark Lord.

Malfoy made up his mind and said, 'The Dark Lord gave me a diary to keep.'

'Does it say where the Horcruxes are?' Narcissa asked.

'No, it's blank,' Malfoy said.

'Or is it?' Dumbledore said.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	37. Chapter 37

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Malfoy looked at Snape and said, 'You're welcome to come to the manor to see it.'

Narcissa cleared her throat.

Malfoy almost rolled his eyes and added, 'You're welcome to come visit with your fiancée and son.'

'Thank you, Malfoy. I know that having a Muggle in your ancestral home is going to upset your family portraits,' Snape said.

'Abigail is Draco's godmother. She isn't a witch, but she's welcome in our home,' Malfoy said.

'Lucius,' Snape said softly, 'you'll keep in mind to call her "Abby" if you don't want her to electrocute you again, or to ask the acromantula to bite you.'

As she cast another Diagnosis spell on Malfoy, Pomfrey murmured, 'I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that.'

Malfoy gulped.

Snape smirked and turned to Narcissa. 'If we eliminate the Dark magic that's in your husband, you won't need a potion to help you conceive.'

'Are you certain?' she asked in a whisper.

'It took you months to have Draco because your idiotic other half was already a Death Eater,' Pomfrey stated.

'I don't mind brewing a potion for you if you're afraid that removing the Dark mark won't be enough, but perhaps you'd rather have me brew something different,' Snape said.

'Different?' Malfoy asked.

'You could choose between boy and girl,' Pomfrey explained.

'Is there something to make sure a baby's health is going to be good during the pregnancy?' Narcissa inquired.

'There's a potion for that,' Snape said.

'I'd rather make sure that Draco's sibling is free from any Dark magic influence,' Narcissa said.

'Being free from that wouldn't prevent the child from catching colds and childhood diseases,' Pomfrey pointed out.

'But _that_ is normal; what's not normal is to end up being a Squib because of the Dark Lord's magic,' Narcissa said.

Malfoy realized then that his wife had been afraid that their son's magic might be damaged because of his association with Voldemort.

'Would you brew the Protection potion for us?' Malfoy asked Snape.

'I'll owl you the list of ingredients to buy, and I'll do it for free,' Snape said.

Malfoy blinked and said, 'Thank you.'

'Whether you like it or not, we're family now, Malfoy,' Snape teased his elder.

Malfoy groaned.

'Lucius?' Dumbledore said, changing the topic. 'I'm afraid I'm going to need a favour.'

'What kind of favour, Headmaster?' Malfoy asked warily.

'There's one position that is still vacant in the staff. I'd like to give it to Remus. Merlin knows the poor boy could do with a decent job, a nice place to stay, and friends, too,' Dumbledore said.

'What position?' Snape asked.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and said, 'Defence, as usual.'

'Are you mad?!' Malfoy yelled. 'He's a werewolf. He'd be a threat to the children!'

Snape groaned.

'Is he dangerous, Severus?' Narcissa asked.

'Only during three nights each month, and now that we know what his problem is, we could lock him up somewhere in the castle, in a magical room from which he couldn't escape,' Snape said.

'There are things that Bella said… Lupin was bitten by Greyback, wasn't he?' Narcissa said.

Dumbledore nodded.

'Lucius,' Narcissa said very softly. 'Without Abby's help, our son would be in Lupin's condition. I know that Lupin is an adult, but he's a Pureblood, just like our Draco. The Lupins gave all their money to Healers to no avail, and now their son is a Knutless orphan. The same could have happened to our son.'

Malfoy hadn't seen that far, and Narcissa's words made him feel bad.

'How can we be sure that he won't be a threat?' Malfoy asked.

'I'll make sure that he's locked up on the full moon nights. If _anything_ happens, I promise to quit,' Dumbledore said. 'Besides, I've read something about a new potion that would allow Remus to keep his human thoughts within the werewolf.'

'The Wolfsbane?' Pomfrey asked.

Dumbledore nodded.

'And when am I supposed to brew this one? In my sleep?' Snape growled.

'Once you no longer have to work for the Order, I'm sure that you can brew it between classes. It is said to be a very intricate potion,' Dumbledore said.

'There's no need to tempt me, Headmaster. The Wolfsbane is quite a challenge,' Snape conceded. 'If the school buys the ingredients, I'll do it.'

'I'll buy them myself. I'd like Lucius to be the only Board member to know Remus's secret,' Dumbledore said.

'Finding a cure would be a bigger challenge,' Pomfrey said.

Snape smirked. They all thought that they needed to coax him, but they were wasting their time for he was already working on a possible cure. He might not be fond of Remus, but he knew that he'd never asked Greyback to bite and infect him when he was a child. Ridding the world of that infection would be a very good thing.

Malfoy called one of their house-elves, a creature called Dobby, and ordered him to prepare a feast for Aragog. Then Pomfrey released Malfoy, and he went to Dumbledore's office with Remus to discuss his future position on the Hogwarts staff.

Snape thought that he'd have to stay in the hospital with the boys and Narcissa, but McGonagall and Pince came to see how things were. The Head of Gryffindor offered to take care of the boys and play games with them – in fact, she turned herself into her feline Animagus form and let the boys chase her.

Snape told Pince that the Order needed to find spells to locate Voldemort's Horcruxes, and she was so disgusted that he'd split his soul that she immediately went to her library to consult the books in the Restricted Section.

Pomfrey ordered Snape to keep Narcissa company a moment while she prepared a few things for school.

'I'm sorry you're stuck with me, Severus, but there's something I wanted to ask you,' Narcissa said.

Snape sat on the bed next to hers and said, 'Yes?'

'It's about the Potters,' Narcissa said.

Snape flinched and asked bravely, 'What about them?'

'It's another thing that Bella said,' Narcissa answered.

'What did she say?' Snape asked as patiently as possible.

'You know how loyal she is to the Dark Lord,' she began. When Snape nodded, she went on, 'Well, she was obsessed with his well-being and security. Apparently, she witnessed the end of a secret meeting with a man who was _not_ Sirius.' She paused, took a deep breath and went on, 'What if Lupin was that man? Are you sure Dumbledore is lucid enough to judge people's characters?'

Snape's brain-cells started whirling in his head.

'The Headmaster _is_ a Legilimens. I think he'll have made sure that Lupin didn't lie to him. However, I'll check that we're not about to have a traitor join the staff,' Snape said. 'May I leave you?'

Narcissa nodded.

Snape went to Pomfrey's surgery, where he told her that he had to join the Headmaster. He Floo'ed from there down to his quarters, where he retrieved a phial of Veritaserum. He snapped his fingers to call a house-elf. Greenli arrived instantly.

'The others working in the kitchen are helping Greenli prepare the meal ordered by Mistress Sciuto. What can Greenli do for Professor Snape?' she asked.

Unbeknownst to him, Snape was picking up habits from his lover; he'd never cared much for house-elves, but he crouched to speak with the one who had followed Abby to protect her.

'I will go see the Headmaster. Malfoy and Lupin are there, too. I want you to bring tea for us four, and I want you to put two drops of this potion into Lupin's cup,' he said as he showed her the phial.

'Yes, Professor Snape,' she said as she held out her hand.

Snape gave her the phial and stood up.

'Greenli,' he said as she was about to leave.

'Yes, sir?'

'Put two drops in all cups, but mine,' Snape ordered.

'Yes, Sir,' she answered.

She had half-disappeared into thin air when he called her back.

He crouched again and said, 'I want to thank you for protecting Abigail.'

Greenli blushed and her ears flapped. She was so pleased that she dissolved into thin air before she did anything that would really embarrass her.

Snape arrived in the Headmaster's office just as Greenli, who'd popped in to ask if tea would be welcome, handed the last cup to Lupin.

'Tea, Severus?' Dumbledore asked.

'Please,' Snape answered as Greenli summoned a chair for him and another cup from the kitchen.

'Why did you join us, Snape?' Malfoy inquired.

'I just wanted to make sure that you're holding no feeling of resentment towards my fiancée, that you're not going to sell my son to the Dark Lord the first chance you get, and that you're truly joining our side,' Snape said.

Malfoy blinked several times and said, 'I'm ashamed that your Muggle overpowered me, but she saved my baby. It pains me to admit it, but I consider myself in her debt. Therefore, I would never hand over Harry to my _former_ master. Joining his ranks was not what I had envisioned; you can count on my entire loyalty.'

Dumbledore immediately understood what Snape had done.

'Is there anything you want to ask _me_, Severus?' the old wizard asked philosophically.

'Would you happen to have some hidden agenda about Harry?' Snape inquired.

'I thought you'd be incapable of taking care of the boy, but I was completely wrong. My only goal now is to protect your family,' Dumbledore said.

Remus may be weakened by the fact that the werewolf infection was taking its toll on his still rather young body, but he was very intelligent, and he'd understood what Snape had done even before Dumbledore did.

'What do you need to know from me, Severus?' Remus inquired quietly.

'Were you the Potters' Secret Keeper?' Snape asked bluntly.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	38. Chapter 38

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Remus's look darkened and he snorted. 'Lily would have trusted me, werewolf or no werewolf, but the others…' he stopped speaking. The potion in his veins was forcing him to tell the truth, but he wasn't ready to share his frustrations with them.

'They thought you'd tell Riddle everything he wanted if you were captured,' Snape stated.

Remus paled and nodded several times. 'Only Lily acknowledged that I would have died to protect them,' he murmured.

Snape didn't have time to be nice. He went on, 'If you weren't, and Black wasn't their Secret Keeper, who was?'

'Sirius was the one who betrayed them!' Remus exclaimed.

'Were you with them when they started the Fidelius procedure?' Snape asked Remus.

'Why do you ask, Severus?' Dumbledore intervened.

'Because Bellatrix saw a man who wasn't her cousin with Riddle,' Snape said.

'But if Sirius didn't betray Lily and James, why didn't he say so?' Remus asked.

'Well, I don't think that the man was sane to begin with, but the Aurors who were sent after him hexed him several times,' Malfoy declared.

'Lily implied that they'd chosen Sirius,' Dumbledore said.

'I can see James and Sirius convincing her to change her mind,' Remus said bitterly.

'Then, who?' Snape snapped.

Remus locked eyes with Snape, and silent communication passed between them.

'Not him! I'd never have trusted him to keep _anything_ important!' Snape exclaimed.

'Oh, but _he_ was so much more worthy than the werewolf! And poor Peter needed to feel that he was a part of the family,' Remus spat. 'If he weren't already vaporized, I'd go hex him into oblivion myself!'

'If Peter Pettigrew was the Potters' Secret Keeper, that changes the chain of events,' Malfoy pointed out.

'Sirius must have gone to confront Peter, not the other way round,' Remus said.

'Why didn't that idiot tell what really happened?!' Snape growled.

'Guilt,' Remus answered in a whisper. 'I didn't question what happened. I thought Sirius had turned bad like Bellatrix. It never occurred to me that Peter might have been made their Secret Keeper; I should have known that Peter would never have the guts to go face him if Sirius was the actual traitor. I guess I was too much in shock after I was told Lily and James had been murdered.'

'We must report this to the Minister,' Dumbledore said.

'_You_ must report it,' Snape pointed out. 'First of all, he wouldn't believe Malfoy, Lupin or me, and I think that only Lupin would be in the mood to try and exonerate Black.'

'After the months he's spent in Azkaban, Black must be in the same state Bella was in before she was sent there,' Malfoy said with a haughty snort. 'If he ever gets out, he'll be shipped from Azkaban straight to St Mungo's.'

'If he isn't dead already,' Snape added.

'I would have been informed,' Dumbledore declared.

'Well, whatever, Headmaster. I shared my suspicions with you, but I have no way to help Black if he is truly innocent,' Snape said.

'Sirius remains the godfather James and Lily chose, Severus. I hope you'll help me if his innocence is proven and if he needs potions to help him recover,' Dumbledore said.

'I will tell Harry who his birth parents were when he is old enough to understand what happened, but the godfather Abigail and I just gave him is the only one he'll ever know,' Snape said coldly.

'I understand your resentment towards Sirius, my dear child, but he's a part of the legacy of Harry's parents,' Dumbledore insisted.

'Headmaster, I think that Abigail has managed to transmute my deep hatred for Black into something closer to mere loathing. However, I doubt that Lily – or James for that matter – would have approved of their baby's only legal guardian in the Wizarding world putting himself in a dangerous situation, which, I remind you, landed him in Azkaban for a crime he might not have committed. Black has repeatedly been foolish, and I don't want him near _my_ son,' Snape said. He pointed at Remus and added, 'That one was grieving as much as I was after the attack, and I _know_ he'll be a good godfather.'

'Legilimency?' Malfoy tried again.

'Instincts, more likely,' Remus said, siding with Snape.

Malfoy chuckled.

'Try whatever you want at the Ministry. I'll be here helping Lupin get installed,' Snape said. 'Where are you planning to give him quarters?'

'We hadn't reached that point when you dropped in on us with your damn potion,' Malfoy said.

'Headmaster?' Snape said.

'Let him choose,' he said.

'There are quarters in Gryffindor territory,' Snape said.

Remus shrugged.

'How long before the potion no longer works?' Dumbledore asked.

'About five more minutes,' Snape answered.

'I'll go to the Ministry then. There's no need to tell Fudge what I think of him if I want to get something from him,' Dumbledore said.

'I'll stay with you, and then I'll go back to my wife,' Malfoy said.

'Are you afraid she'd make you speak your mind?' Snape joked.

Malfoy paled and said, 'No, I'm afraid I'd frighten her or I'd break her heart.'

'If I dose you with that potion regularly, perhaps you'll become a truly decent fellow,' Snape said as he got up. 'Come, Lupin; we've got a lot to do today.'

Remus followed Snape obediently.

Once they were out, Snape turned to his future colleague and asked, 'Where do you _really_ want to live?'

'Near you if it's no bother. I could see Harry often, and you'd have your guinea pig nearby,' Remus said.

'I have a hard time seeing you in a hole among my snakes,' Snape said.

'Severus, do you want me to go back to the Headmaster and tell him to not give me that job?' Remus asked.

Snape stopped in his tracks, and Remus paused next to him.

'Lupin, I still remember how I felt when I faced you in your transformed state. You can be certain that I'll double check whatever Dumbledore is planning to do to lock you up during the full moon nights. However, I won't send you back to the Muggle world. I've seen what you've had to do to survive,' Snape said.

Remus smiled. There was something in that smile that Snape found strange.

'What?' Snape barked.

'I _know_ that you're a Legilimens, and the logical conclusion since you spy for the Order is that you're an Occlumens, too. You know that I won't tell anybody – if you stop feeding me your Veritaserum, that is,' Remus said.

One corner of Snape's mouth rose.

Remus went on, 'The truth is – and I don't mind telling you so – that I'd rather be close to someone closer to my own age.'

'It might not be so bad to have you here,' Snape conceded. He looked at the other man and thought about what Abby would do if she were in his shoes. 'Would you like a bit of help to plan your classes?' he asked.

'I don't want to bother you, Severus,' he said.

'Don't be daft!' Snape growled. He paused, blinked and whispered, 'I'm picking up habits from Abigail.'

'Your fiancée is a fantastic lady. I'm glad she's found you,' Remus said.

'She's… quite astounding,' Snape said.

'It's got to be nice to have someone,' Remus said softly.

Snape looked at Remus strangely. Then he asked, 'Why did you associate with Potter and his friends?'

Remus sighed deeply and said, 'They befriended me. They remained my friends even after they realized what I am. Once they knew my secret, I was trapped. I... You know, I still have nightmares about our schooldays. I hate myself for saying nothing when they bullied you. I was saving my hide by remaining silent.'

'I'll need more time to be civil to you, but I understand,' Snape declared. 'Now let's go to the dungeons and find you a decent place to stay. I'll help you move, and then I'll give you a few files that will help you plan your lessons.'

'Do you have Defence files?' Remus asked.

'There is a rumour among the students that you'll hear very soon that I want the position that is going to be yours. I prefer Potions, but the people Dumbledore has been hiring since I started teaching were such a joke that I began planning lessons that would be really useful for our students on a real battlefield. Now that you're here, you can use my files,' Snape said.

'Do you trust me?' Remus asked.

'Yes,' Snape said, which brought tears to Remus's eyes. To lighten the mood, Snape added, 'Besides, if you don't teach our students how to protect themselves properly, I'll let Abigail and Jethro deal with you.'

'I'm glad that you've found a brother, too,' Remus said.

'It is rather nice,' Snape admitted.

Remus's eyes turned misty again.

'I will not be the nicest relative, but Abigail and Harry have already adopted you. I think that the rest of her team will welcome you, as well,' Snape said.

'Severus…' Remus began to say.

'Just how close to my snakes can you stand to be?' Snape interrupted him before Remus became too sentimental.

'The Slytherins are going to be my students, too. If they try anything simply because I was a Gryffindor, then I'll give them extra tutoring in strategy,' Remus said.

'Suitable way to give them detentions. If any Slytherin pesters you, I _demand_ that you tell me. When their tutoring is done, I'll have them scrub cauldrons without magic, to make _my_ point,' Snape said.

'As you wish, Severus,' Remus answered obediently.

Snape led Remus to the unoccupied quarters that were across from his potions lab.

'Does that suit you?' Snape asked when they'd visited the rooms that were almost identical to Snape's ones before he started casting spells on them.

'This will be the biggest place I'll have lived in since my parents had to sell our home,' Remus whispered sadly.

'We should ask a house-elf to bring your possessions here,' Snape suggested.

Remus shrugged, and Snape snapped his fingers. Greenli was the one who answered again.

'What can Greenli do for the professors?' she asked.

'I'm not a professor yet,' Remus said.

'Greenli begs your pardon, Professor Lupin, but Headmaster Dumbledore has just sent a magical announcement to us. Minister Fudge has named you Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor,' she said.

'I bet he's put a spell on Fudge,' Snape said with a chuckle.

Remus blinked and sat down on _his_ sofa.

Greenli was sent to retrieve Remus's meagre possessions, which didn't take long. She put everything where it belonged with Remus's help. When Snape came back to his new neighbour's quarters with the files he'd promised and an energy potion, he saw in what poor state Remus's wardrobe was.

'I'm going to Diagon Alley, and you're coming with me,' Snape told Remus.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	39. Chapter 39

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Why?' Remus asked.

'My Potions ingredients supplier will need to weigh you precisely in order to assess the dosage of elements I'm going to need to brew the Wolfsbane,' Snape said. 'If I start a batch now, it'll be ready for the next full moon.'

'Oh,' was all that Remus said.

Snape thought that his lie had worked, but as soon as they Floo'ed to London, Remus asked, 'What's your _real_ plan?'

Snape was genuinely surprised – and it showed.

Remus snorted and said, 'Honestly, I was expecting better from you, Severus.'

'Those who don't know you judge you by the way you look, and those who _do_ know you think that your condition is decaying your brain. I didn't mean to trick you – and I really need to have you with me to buy the ingredients for the first time. My provider will put a spell on you that will adjust the monthly amount of ingredients I'll need for your potion with every change that'll happen to you,' Snape explained.

'That sounds like one hell of an intricate potion,' Remus declared.

'Complicated, but challenging,' Snape said.

'Does Abby know that your eyes twinkle when you talk about potions?' Remus teased his fellow.

Snape growled. Then he went on, 'When I found myself forced to work for the Headmaster, my financial situation wasn't much better than yours is now. I was literally forced to accept a loan in order to be _presentable_, as he said. The truth is, I hated that. If you want, I'll vouch for you as a Hogwarts fellow, and you can shop at Madam Malkin's.'

Remus blinked several times. 'Thank you,' he said, deeply moved.

The two wizards went to buy the ingredients for the Wolfsbane and one decent outfit for Remus.

Just before they Floo'ed back to Hogwarts, Snape froze.

'Severus,' Remus asked worriedly.

'This is the first time I've entrusted Harry's well-being to someone other than Abigail,' Snape explained.

'Severus, deep down inside, you know that McGonagall would kill without hesitation to protect Harry, and you know that the _entire_ pack of house-elves are certainly keeping an eye on the boy. I'm sure even the ghosts and the portraits are watching over him,' Remus said.

Snape nodded. 'He's safe in Hogwarts. I'll just have to make sure that the entire world is safe for him,' he said.

They went back to the castle, and the rest of the day was rather uneventful until dinner-time.

The NCIS team was still working, and Dumbledore was the first to come back "home". His trip to the Ministry had been strange.

'What did Fudge say?' Malfoy inquired.

'Until we can find some kind of proof that Sirius wasn't the Secret Keeper, he doesn't want to hear anything about it. I've tried to contact people who could assess if the Potters had cast the Fidelius on Sirius; they'll get back to me,' Dumbledore said.

'There might be an easier way,' Remus and Snape said in synch.

Dumbledore blinked at that.

'It'll be much faster to cast a spell on Pettigrew's finger to get a list of _all_ the spells that were ever put on him,' Malfoy pointed out.

Dumbledore nodded several times. 'Getting access to it is going to be a tad difficult, and I can't cast the spell alone,' he said.

Dumbledore looked at Snape, who growled, 'If you dare suggest that I help Black, I'll quit, cut the connection with Washington in my then former quarters and tell Abigail what you asked from me.'

'All right, Severus, but I hope you can get along with Sirius one day,' Dumbledore said.

Snape shook his head; he thought that his employer was too optimistic sometimes.

'I'll start Lupin's potion, since you so generously provided me with the ingredients. Your bank account will be charged monthly,' Snape said. He turned to Malfoy and asked, 'Do you think Draco would like to see how a potion is brewed?'

'My son is very curious about everything. If you tell Narcissa what you're planning to do, she'll help you, and she'll keep an eye on the boys if there's any complicated stage in the brewing,' Malfoy said.

Snape nodded and added, 'Come to my lab when it's time to go start preparing the acromantula's dinner party.'

'Certainly,' Malfoy said.

Snape left without further ado.

'You are either losing your touch, or I should probably worry about my alliance with you,' Malfoy said. 'Severus will never forgive Black, and your attempts to reconcile them are childish… at best.'

Dumbledore sighed.

'I want to know the truth. I'll help you with the spell,' Remus said.

'And I can probably help you get into the right department at the Ministry,' Malfoy said.

The other two wizards understood that whether he liked it or not, Sirius Black was still a relative of Malfoy's, and it was his duty to help a family member.

'Shall we go tomorrow morning?' Dumbledore asked.

Malfoy and Remus nodded.

A few minutes before Abby, Ducky and Gibbs were ready to leave NCIS, Pince found the spell she'd been looking for in the Restricted section. As soon as she had the spell, she went to see Snape in his lab.

Snape and Narcissa were working together on the potion for Remus, and they were explaining to the two boys what they were doing step by step. Draco and Harry were so fascinated that they wished they could start school right away.

'You'll learn many things that are very important in the next few months and years,' Pince told them.

'That's long!' Draco complained.

Pince looked at Narcissa, pointed at the boy and asked, 'Do you mind?'

'Be my guest,' Narcissa said.

Pince held out her arms and picked up Draco. She neared the cauldron and said, 'When you two watch us perform magic, you're going to become accustomed with what you need to learn when you start school in a few years. For the moment… look, you're too small.'

Draco pouted.

'You know, growing up in Wizarding families is going to be an advantage that children from families without magic don't have. I know that that is not what you want to hear, but you need to be patient. What we'll show you will come more naturally to you when it's your turn to do that kind of magic,' Pince said.

'Oh, okay… but t'is a pity,' Draco said.

Pince pecked Draco's cheek and deposited him next to Harry again.

Harry was frowning.

'What's on your mind, Bunny?' Snape asked.

'If you didn't find me, I know nothing about magic,' Harry said.

It was the first time since he'd rescued him that Harry made an allusion of any sort to the Dursleys. Snape had prepared himself for this. He smiled widely at his son and said, 'I found you, Bunny, and I'll tell you everything you want to know about magic.'

Harry was still frowning. Snape read the boy's thoughts, and he saw that Harry was beginning to truly understand how he'd been abused by people who were his actual blood relatives.

Snape handed the saucer of ingredients he was holding to Narcissa, who took over, and he went to hug Harry.

Snape sent a kind of thought/feeling to Harry that said "I'm here, I'll always be here for you, and I love you".

Harry didn't know that his daddy had cast a spell on him, but he enjoyed the feeling he felt spreading through him, and he kissed his father.

Snape decided to send Harry those kinds of thoughts regularly for a few weeks, at least. It'd do no good if Harry developed a feeling of insecurity.

'I've found the _recipe_ you need, Severus, but we're going to need five witches to _brew_ it,' Pince told Snape.

'Pentagram magic?' Narcissa asked.

'Is it Dark?' Snape inquired.

'No, Severus, it's girls' magic,' Narcissa said with a merry chuckle.

'I'm not exactly a specialist,' Snape pointed out.

Narcissa patted his arm.

'I can cast it if you want,' Pince told Snape.

'I trust you to select your fellow witches,' Snape declared.

'I'd like to help,' Narcissa said.

'I'll go ask Minerva and Poppy,' Pince said. 'They'll know who to invite to join us.'

'You know where to find me,' Narcissa told Pince.

'Right here, right now. Severus, I'm borrowing your assistant, and we're leaving you with the boys. I suggest you freeze your cauldron, and you play with the boys,' Pince said.

One corner of Snape's mouth rose; he thought that the bossy librarian would be perfect for Gibbs, and he hoped they both realized it soon.

The witches were gone before Snape even had time to flick his wand over his potion.

Snape secured everything and turned to the boys. 'Do you want me to read you a story?' he asked them.

They nodded fervently, and the three went to Snape's parlour.

Snape found himself on the sofa, sandwiched by two eager boys who wanted to hear a good story.

.

.

.

Pince and Narcissa had stopped by McGonagall's quarters and told her their plan. They decided to drop by the hospital wing to share everything with Pomfrey and to start planning their course of action.

A witch was waiting for them in front of the door of the hospital – a witch who usually didn't leave her tower…

'I must be the fifth witch to cast the spell,' Sybill Trelawney said with an unusual voice.

'What's wrong with her?' Narcissa inquired innocently.

'Merlin! She's in real seer mode. Quick! We can't know how long it'll last, and such a gift might make a difference,' McGonagall said.

'I'll channel the spell,' Pince said.

McGonagall called Pomfrey as they all entered the hospital.

'We'll explain later, follow our lead,' McGonagall told the Mediwitch.

Three minutes later, the spell was cast, and a piece of parchment appeared out of thin air.

Trelawney sat down on the floor and squeaked, 'What am I doing here?'

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	40. Chapter 40

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Pomfrey took care of her and helped her up.

'You helped us cast a very important spell,' McGonagall explained.

Pince read the parchment that their magic had created, and she squeaked very inelegantly.

'What's wrong?' Narcissa inquired worriedly.

'Nothing's wrong. We now have the list and location of each Horcrux, and…' Pince's voice trailed off.

'And?' Pomfrey asked.

'And the current hiding place of the Dark Lord!' Pince exclaimed.

McGonagall went to read what was on the parchment. 'It's even suggesting ways of getting rid of the Horcruxes!' she said.

Pince nodded happily.

'Sybill will need a dose of Pepper-up potion,' Pomfrey said as she summoned a phial with a spell.

Narcissa wrapped an arm around Trelawney and smiled at her. 'You did great,' she told the professor.

'What did I do?' Trelawney asked with a whiny voice.

'You've helped us find what we need to put an end to the war, Sybill,' McGonagall said warmly.

'Really?' Trelawney squeaked.

'Yes, Dear. Your gift has channelled the information we needed. Now we can destroy the Dark Lord and protect our children,' Pince said.

'Are you planning to bewitch a certain NCIS special agent?' McGonagall teased her younger, single fellow.

Pince blushed bright red.

'Let's not make too many plans before we've dealt with the Dark Lord,' Narcissa said.

'You're right,' Pomfrey said as she gave Trelawney a dose of potion.

'Narcissa, I think you can have access to three of the remaining Horcruxes,' Pince said.

'Tell me,' Narcissa said.

'There's a diary in your manor,' Pince started.

'Lucius mentioned that one. He wasn't sure it was a Horcrux, though. What else?' she asked.

'A cup in your sister's vault and a locket in Black's mansion,' Pince said.

'It'll be easier to get to the locket through Kreacher, the mansion's elf, but Lucius will find a way to gain access to Bella's vault,' Narcissa said.

'The diary and the snake can be destroyed, but the other objects are precious. It's going to be more difficult and take more time, but I think it would be worth it… especially the Resurrection Stone,' Pince declared.

'The what?' McGonagall asked.

'One of the Deathly Hallows,' Pince said as if it were the most common thing to say.

'O, beloved bookworm, you'll have to explain,' Pomfrey said affectionately.

Pince blinked several times and then started laughing heartily. 'I'll explain, I promise. Let's say that it might well be more precious than even objects left by the Four Founders,' she said.

'Impressive,' Narcissa said.

'Can we summon the snake here and be done with it?' Pince inquired.

'Can I go back to my quarters?' Trelawney said with a small voice.

'I'll escort you, Dear,' Pomfrey said.

Trelawney looked very grateful.

'What do you suggest we use to destroy it?' McGonagall asked.

Pince pointed at one line on the magical parchment and said, 'Could you gain access to _that_?'

McGonagall blinked. 'There's only one way to know,' she said. 'Come with me.'

Pince and Narcissa followed McGonagall to Dumbledore's office, which was conveniently empty. The elder witch cast a location spell that allowed her to find the hiding place of the sword of Gryffindor.

'I know how to summon the snake, and I'd like to do that,' Narcissa said.

'I'll petrify it with a spell, and then we'll deal with it,' McGonagall declared.

Things didn't go exactly as planned, though.

Narcissa summoned Nagini, but the snake tried to escape the moment it was brought into the office.

Narcissa was still tired from her encounter with Greyback, and the Summoning spell had demanded a lot of energy; therefore, she wasn't at her best to fight the snake.

McGonagall had managed to make sure that Nagini wouldn't be able to leave the office, but the beast was fighting and was as vicious as its master could be.

Nagini tried to slither towards the fireplace – possibly to try to escape through the chimney.

'Oh, certainly not!' Pince growled.

The – apparently – quiet librarian grabbed the sword of Gryffindor and faced the snake.

Nagini attacked Pince. No one in the office – and none of those who were now on the threshold – could have imagined that Pince was such a sword expert, but she used it as if she were a trained knight from the Middle Ages, and she beheaded Nagini.

Truth be told, the snake looked surprised – for lack of a better word.

'You should have waited for us!' Malfoy exclaimed.

Dumbledore and Remus were with him… as was Gibbs.

'What for? They obviously didn't need help,' Remus pointed out.

Gibbs looked at Pince and said, 'Quite impressive, Irma.'

'Thank you, Leroy. I'm a bit rusty, but sword fighting came back pretty fast,' she said with a bright smile and a slight blush.

'We leave for a moment, and you slaughter a snake in my office,' Dumbledore said as he started casting spells to dispose of Nagini.

'We destroyed one Horcrux,' McGonagall said calmly.

'And we've got the full list of them,' Pince said. 'By the way, we should tell Severus.'

'Tell him what, Irma?' Abby inquired as she joined the others.

'We've got the list of Horcruxes, their locations, and ways to get rid of them,' Pince said.

'Sybill had another vision, and she did something when we cast the spell to get information about them,' McGonagall added.

'Sybill? The _seer_ in the tower?' Abby asked.

'That's the one,' Pince said.

'Speaking of the list, Lucius… We're going to need the diary that You-Know-Who gave you. I _must_ be allowed inside Bella's vault, too,' Narcissa said.

'I can go bargain with the Goblins tomorrow afternoon. I have some business to attend to with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Lupin at the Ministry in the morning,' Malfoy answered.

'Perhaps you could bring the diary with you tomorrow morning,' McGonagall suggested with an eagerness that was barely concealed in her voice.

'If Headmaster Dumbledore will allow me to use the Floo, I could go retrieve it now,' Malfoy said.

'Of course, my dear child,' Dumbledore said.

Malfoy left almost immediately; he just paused to make sure that his wife was fine, but one glare from her assured him that she was all right.

Pince was looking for some material with which to clean the blade. Gibbs walked to her and offered her a handkerchief.

'The blood is magical, it would ruin your handkerchief,' Pince said.

Gibbs silently offered the material again, and Pince took it. Gibbs admired her as she cleaned the blade.

'I'd like to see the list of Horcruxes,' Dumbledore said.

'Why?' McGonagall asked.

Gibbs smiled. There was something about the elder witch that he really liked.

'Mere curiosity,' Dumbledore lied.

'Right,' McGonagall said, 'and I'm a first-year student! Spill the beans, Albus.'

'There's one item I suspect that Tom used,' Dumbledore answered.

Gibbs saw some silent communication between the three witches.

'Leroy, the parchment is in my sleeve,' Pince said, as she was still cleaning the precious blade with care.

Gibbs took the parchment and handed it to Dumbledore.

'I knew it,' Dumbledore whispered. 'I can find the third now.'

'What do you mean?' Gibbs asked.

'Do you know where the other two Deathly Hallows are?' Pince snapped.

Dumbledore winced; he hadn't planned to tell too much – even to his friends and allies.

'What are those Deathly Hallows?' Gibbs asked.

'Highly magical objects,' Remus said. 'There's a wand, a stone and…'

Remus had stopped and paled, and right then Dumbledore understood that his new teacher had made the connection with the third object – the late James Potter's Invisibility cloak.

'Was James's cloak destroyed?' Remus inquired.

'No, I have it. I was planning to give it to Harry when he's older,' Dumbledore said.

'Severus can take care of it now,' Remus declared even before Abby or Gibbs could say a word.

'Yes, of course. I'd forgotten about it,' Dumbledore said.

That could have been a lie, but the old wizard was blushing slightly. His friend realized that a certain Muggle ME might have really caused him to forget about the magical piece of clothes.

'You can ask a house-elf to bring it to our quarters after dinner… Well, before breakfast,' Abby said.

'I'll ask Ducky to help you not forget,' Gibbs said.

Dumbledore smiled and nodded.

Pince looked at Remus and said, 'I'm impressed by your knowledge.'

'Books have always been my only luxury,' Remus answered quietly.

'That's good,' Pince said enthusiastically.

Gibbs chuckled warmly.

'Book-addict,' Abby said affectionately to the librarian, who smiled widely.

'What are your plans for the other Horcruxes?' Dumbledore inquired worriedly.

'Take a deep breath, Albus,' McGonagall teased her friend, 'we're planning to clean them.'

'Using the stone isn't a good thing, though,' Remus told his new employer.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and said, 'I know. Now I understand that.'

'Remus, you'll tell Ducky everything you know about those things,' Abby told her brand new relative by magic.

'As you wish,' Remus said obediently.

Dumbledore blinked.

'Albus, judging from your reaction when you read the list, you need us to make sure that you won't do something stupid,' McGonagall said.

Dumbledore blinked even more.

'If you were to use the stone while it's still a Horcrux, you'd probably be killed,' Pince pointed out.

'I won't allow you to do that to Ducky,' Gibbs said.

Dumbledore exhaled loudly and nodded. 'All right. I'll be careful, and I'll send James's cloak to Severus to keep for Harry,' he said.

'Do you know where the wand is?' Pince asked Dumbledore.

The old wizard was saved when Malfoy came back with the diary.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	41. Chapter 41

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Let's destroy that one, too,' Narcissa said.

'I'm ready,' Pince said as she did a few impressive moves with Gryffindor's sword.

Malfoy looked rather impressed; he turned to Dumbledore to know what his new master wanted him to do with the Horcrux.

'By all means, give it to the lady, my dear Lucius,' Dumbledore said.

Malfoy handed Pince the diary. The librarian was sorry that a diary had been turned into suchf a foul item, but she was ready to destroy it.

Pince took a few steps towards the fireplace, and she placed the diary on the stones by the hearth.

Pince placed the sword on the middle of the Horcrux and plunged the blade into it. The magic inside the Horcrux tried to resist, and Pince found it hard to destroy it. Two strong hands wrapped around hers and helped her impale the diary; the bound leaves leaked dark ink that was so dense that it looked like clotted blood.

The diary, like a wounded animal, trembled and suddenly stopped moving.

McGonagall and Dumbledore cast a few spells on the diary to make sure that the Horcrux had been destroyed.

'Thank you,' Pince whispered to Gibbs, who'd helped her.

He briefly caressed her hands and said softly, 'I'm afraid I have no other handkerchief to give you.'

Pince took one of his hands in hers and said, 'Snap your fingers, please.'

Gibbs obeyed her, and a house-elf appeared.

'Bring me some old cloth,' Pince told the elf.

She was obeyed instantly, and she started cleaning the blade again.

'Shall Yurgo clean the floor, Headmaster?' the elf asked.

'No, thank you,' Dumbledore said.

He, Remus and Malfoy combined a spell to destroy all traces of the diary. Getting rid of Nagini had been easier, because the Horcrux was made with another living being, but the magic in an object had different powers.

Pince threw the cloth and Gibbs's handkerchief into the fireplace and used another spell to destroy both pieces of material. Then she gave the sword to Dumbledore, who placed it on his desk.

'How many Horcruxes to go?' Abby inquired.

'Four; one of them is here in the… the Room of Requirement – wherever that is,' Pince said.

'I know how to summon that room,' Remus intervened.

'All right, then you'll bring us that one, and since it's…' Pince checked the list that she'd plucked back from Dumbledore's hand and went on, 'Ravenclaw's diadem; you can take it to Filius. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to clean it of the part of Riddle's soul that's in it.'

'I'll go there now,' Remus said.

'You'll go after dinner,' McGonagall ordered. 'You look like a twig, and if you take it to Filius now, the man will focus only on that until it's fully cleaned.'

Remus smiled and bowed at his former head of house and now colleague.

'What about the other three?' Abby asked.

'With Lucius's help, I should be able to retrieve the one that was given to my sister, and I'll have to convince Kreacher, the house-elf that was left to take care of the Grimmauld Place mansion, that I need to borrow the locket that belonged to Slytherin,' Narcissa said.

'What about the last one?' Malfoy inquired.

'Severus should be the one to go retrieve that ring. Albus shouldn't be allowed near that Deathly Hallow,' McGonagall declared.

Dumbledore glared at her.

'You mentioned those briefly when you spoke of your youth,' Ducky said as he entered the office.

Dumbledore blushed. He'd shared most of his past with his new companion, but he still had a hard time being reminded that he'd been such a young fool, and it was strange to be in a relationship with a Muggle who was completely unfazed by his magical power. Dumbledore could turn Ducky into an actual duck, but that would _never_ stop Ducky from saying what was on his mind.

'And that brings me back to the wand,' Pince said.

'Perhaps you could have one of the house-elves bring the cloak to Severus right now, as well,' Abby said at the same time.

'I'm right here,' Snape said as he entered the office.

He was carrying Draco and Harry, one boy in each arm.

Dumbledore looked like the proverbial deer caught in Muggle headlights.

'Answer Irma, first,' Gibbs said.

Dumbledore gulped, took a deep breath and said, 'The Wand is mine, I won it from Grindelwald when I duelled him.'

To everybody's surprise, Malfoy whistled.

The haughty Malfoy realized what he'd done, and he said, 'I apologize.'

Pince shivered with anger. 'It's a good thing we cast a spell to get the list of Horcruxes and we've made you spill the beans about Potter's cloak, otherwise you might have found yourself the sole owner of the three Deathly Hallows,' she growled.

'I would never have used them together!' Dumbledore explained.

'Better safe than sorry. Where's that cloak?' Abby demanded.

By the time Dumbledore had summoned it, Snape had put the boys on the ground and been brought up to speed.

'Take good care of it for Harry,' Dumbledore said as he handed over the Invisibility Cloak to Snape.

'I will,' Snape promised.

Snape snapped his fingers and Greenli appeared.

'What can Greenli do for Professor Snape?' she asked.

Snape looked at that faithful elf and thought she should be the one assigned to serve them, but he needed to ask Abby first. He knew that she could read his lips, and he asked her if she agreed.

Abby nodded fervently, and Gibbs smiled; his little brother, through Harry's adoption, was becoming quite a good man.

'First,' Snape told Greenli, 'I want you to take this precious cloak to our quarters and store it with a Protection spell in my wardrobe.'

'Yes, Professor,' she answered.

She took the cloak from him, and then Snape crouched.

'We'd like to know if you'd agree to serve us, and only us,' Snape said.

'Professor Snape, Mistress Sciuto and Master Harry want Greenli to be their elf?' she asked excitedly, ears flapping madly.

'Yes,' Abby said simply.

Greenli beamed at Snape and said, 'Greenli is honoured, Master Snape.'

'So be it!' Dumbledore said as he cast the appropriate spell.

Greenli disappeared into thin air.

Snape got up and walked to Pince. 'Where's the Horcrux that you want me to find?' he inquired.

Pince showed him the entire list.

'Ladies, your spell is quite impressive,' Snape said. 'I'll take care of that one.'

'Will you need help to clean it?' McGonagall inquired.

'I think I'll be able to do it alone, but if my idea fails, I'll come and see you,' Snape said.

'Are you planning to do again what you did for Harry?' Abby asked.

Snape nodded once.

'If it isn't too tiring, maybe you should be the one to clean the remaining ones,' Gibbs said.

'Judging from the way the diary reacted, it might be more demanding,' Pince pointed out.

'Pity I can't help,' Abby said softly.

'Maybe you can,' Pince whispered. She leant towards Abby and added even more softly, 'I just need to check something, but I think you might be able to help your fiancé.'

Abby beamed at the witch.

'Daddy,' Harry said with a small voice.

'What is it, Bunny?' Snape asked worriedly.

Harry blushed and looked down. Snape read his son's thoughts and saw that the boy was hungry; there were still moments when Harry reacted as if he were still with his Muggle relatives.

Snape sent warm thoughts to his son to encourage him to speak.

'I'm hungry a bit,' Harry murmured.

Draco nodded fervently.

'We'll keep talking over dinner. Let's go to the Great Hall,' Dumbledore said.

On their way down to dinner, Pince stopped Gibbs on the stairs briefly.

'Did you feel the magic that you channelled to summon an elf?' she inquired.

'Not at all. Not even a tingle,' he said.

Pince nodded a few times. Gibbs spotted a bit more colour in her cheeks; she was about to go catch up with the others, but he was the one to stop her this time.

'What does it mean, Irma?' he asked.

'I think that Abby can help Severus clean the Horcrux he'll be retrieving, if they work together,' she answered.

'That's good,' Gibbs said as they resumed their walk downstairs.

Pince smiled.

The librarian thought that Gibbs had nothing else on his mind… but she'd just met him and didn't know how he worked.

'What else does it mean?' Gibbs asked softly.

Pince gasped with surprise.

'Irma?' he insisted.

'Do you really want to know?' she asked.

Gibbs glared, but then he stopped and blinked – she'd taken his hand.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	42. Chapter 42

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

When he didn't say a word, she let go of his hand and hurried downstairs.

Gibbs caught up with her in three steps. He forced her to stop and put his hands on her shoulders.

'Irma, I have so many ghosts in my past that I've screwed up three marriages,' he said.

She looked at him calmly, but didn't utter a single word.

Gibbs sighed and admitted, 'I'm not an easy man to live with, and I spend too much time at work.'

'I never asked you to change, did I?' Pince pointed out quietly.

'No, you didn't,' he admitted.

'I know that you like me because you didn't feel my spell being channelled through you. If you weren't interested in me, you'd have felt a buzz or a tingle,' she explained.

'Oh.'

He looked so surprised that it was funny.

'By the way, that's why I think that Abby and Severus can help each other,' Pince added. She took her wand and merely slapped Gibbs's hands off her, which surprised him. 'You don't know what you're missing because I could have helped you get your boat out of the basement. Then again, your brother can help you now. It's strange, I wouldn't have thought you could act like a coward,' she hissed.

Pince stormed downstairs.

Gibbs was blinking on the stairs when a witch in a painting told him, 'Now, now, gentle Muggle, don't be silly; catch up with the lady.'

'Don't be an ass. Go apologize!' a wizard growled at Gibbs.

It was odd, but they had a point.

Pince heard the footsteps, but she was too angry to turn around. Gibbs wrapped an arm around Pince's waist, swirled her around and kissed her.

'This isn't going to be easy, and I'll always be afraid for you,' he explained when he freed her lips.

Pince laughed heartily.

'What?' Gibbs asked with a kind of growl.

'Irma is a librarian, you're a special agent, and you're the one who's going to worry,' Pomfrey said as she walked next to them on her way from the hospital. 'The worst thing that could happen to her would be a magical paper cut!'

'Shannon and Kelly weren't supposed to be murdered,' Gibbs said softly.

'I'm going to ask you this only _once_, Leroy. Do you want us to be a couple?' Pince asked very seriously.

Pomfrey smiled at them, and then she walked into the Great Hall, leaving them alone in the corridor.

Gibbs took Pince's hands in his and answered, 'Yes, Irma, I want to be with you.'

'What's on your mind?' she asked.

Gibbs sighed, but if he wanted their relationship to work, he had to share everything with her. 'The moment I saw you, I knew you were special, and I wanted to get to know you better – much better. My other relationships after Shannon were failures because I feel guilty. I was supposed to protect them, but I was doing my job, and they were killed,' he explained.

'Do you want to talk with Shannon?' Pince asked.

Gibbs paled dreadfully.

'Leroy?' she said softly, as she squeezed his hands. 'I know where we can find a Necromancer.'

Gibbs knew that Pince would do whatever it takes to help him make a choice and that meant a lot to him. It meant everything.

'I'm going to listen to Severus's advice, and I'd be grateful if you didn't tell him,' Gibbs said. 'I want to be with you, Irma.'

She beamed at him, and he knew that he'd made the right choice. Shannon and Kelly would always be in his heart, but he still had love to give.

'We'll have to talk later, after we meet the acromantula. I can create a room, or I can go to your side of the world,' Pince said.

They started walking towards the Hall again.

'If we go to Washington, I'll have to drive us home,' Gibbs said.

Pince laughed heartily, which made all their friends look at them.

'What?' Gibbs growled with his Marine voice.

Completely unfazed, Pince explained, 'You'll have to get used to being with a _witch_. I can Apparate us to your house.'

'Getting used to being with a witch will require a bit of training,' Gibbs said more nicely. 'I'd like to stay here if you don't mind.'

Gibbs pointedly looked at Abby.

'Of course, but you should keep in mind that Abby can take care of herself – even in my world,' Pince pointed out as they neared the single table that the house-elves had brought into the hall that was usually empty when there were no students.

Gibbs smiled; he was happy that Pince understood his need to make sure his friends were in no danger.

'Yes, I know, but you won't change me,' Gibbs told her.

'All right,' she said as she sat down next to Pomfrey.

'Just like that?' Gibbs asked.

'Yes, Leroy. I'll keep in mind that I won't change _you_, and you'll keep in mind that you won't change _me_,' she declared.

Gibbs nodded as he settled between his new girlfriend and McGonagall.

The dinner was very nice, and the Malfoys enjoyed the company of their new allies.

When the sun started to set, Arthur had already joined the staff and their guests. He'd come with two pies for Aragog, and he'd brought his two eldest sons, Bill, who was to start his fourth year at Hogwarts, and Charlie, who was more than ready to start his second year.

When it was time to go to the rendez-vous place, Harry and Draco were fast asleep. The adults considered leaving the boys in their beds (by then, it had been agreed that the Malfoys would spend the night in Slytherin – that would remind the parents of their days in school and at the same time show Draco what the dormitories were like), but they thought better of it.

The two fathers were carrying their boys.

The Malfoy house-elves brought a real feast for Aragog from the Manor, and it was doubled by what the Hogwarts elves brought.

'Our pies look cheap,' Charlie whispered to his brother, while Arthur added them to one of the tables laid for the acromantula.

Before Bill could utter a word, Snape leant close to Charlie and said, 'Quantity is not important. I'm sure our unusual guest will enjoy your contribution.'

Charlie blinked and nodded. Bill smiled at his professor.

Everything was in place just in time for Aragog to make his appearance.

As if they sensed something, Draco and Harry woke up long enough to greet Aragog, and then they fell asleep again.

Charlie had an epiphany, and he decided to work a lot in Care of Magical Creatures in order to learn more about dangerous beasts.

'I thought your species didn't settle so far north,' Pince told Aragog.

'I was brought here,' Aragog answered.

'By whom?' McGonagall inquired.

'Uhoh,' Dumbledore said.

'What?!' Ducky asked his companion. They'd met only recently, but Ducky had developed an almost immediate Albus-radar that allowed him to be attuned to his boyfriend and to know when something important was going on.

'You're the creature responsible for Hagrid's expulsion,' Dumbledore told Aragog.

It was an odd sight to see an acromantula sigh.

'What happened?' Abby asked.

Dumbledore told her how a young witch had been found dead, petrified, decades ago. The young Tom Riddle had found a creature that his schoolmate, Rubeus Hagrid, was hiding and feeding; Hagrid had helped the creature escape certain death, but in consequence, he'd been expelled.

'Did you kill the witch?' Abby asked Aragog.

'No… she would have been too big a meal at the time. I was a baby,' Aragog answered.

'I'd say that Riddle framed Hagrid,' Remus declared.

'Arthur,' Dumbledore said, 'if I go to the Ministry to clear Hagrid's name, would you testify that Aragog isn't the one who killed Myrtle?'

'Moaning Myrtle?!' Bill asked.

His head of house swirled towards him and asked, 'I'd like to know who told you about the ghost who's in one of the ladies' bathroom.'

Bill thought quickly and lied, 'The girls talk about her, Professor.'

McGonagall didn't know if he was telling the truth, but even if he was lying, it was a minor offence.

Snape read Bill's thoughts and saw that he'd followed a Hufflepuff girl, who was being bullied, to offer his help.

'William, you should tell Professor McGonagall what really happened,' Snape said.

Bill blinked, but obeyed his Potions master, and McGonagall promised to warn Professor Sprout, the head of Hufflepuff, very discreetly.

'Thank you, Ma'am,' Bill said.

'And never lie to me, Boy,' McGonagall concluded.

Bill nodded.

His younger brother was more and more convinced that Snape had uncanny powers, which impressed him deeply.

In the meantime, Arthur had agreed to help Dumbledore clear Hagrid's name. The Keeper of the Keys and Grounds would never pass his O., but he'd be allowed to carry a wand – a privilege that had been taken from him when the Ministry thought that he'd helped a dangerous, murderous creature.

'Soon enough, the Minister for Magic is going to wish to retire if we keep invading his Ministry,' McGonagall said.

Snape whispered in Remus's ear, 'We wouldn't be that lucky, would we?'

Remus chuckled warmly.

Aragog agreed to help if he had to, but he'd deal only with Arthur. He warned the wizards, witches and Muggles that he'd turned anyone else other than the people present into food – and they all knew that he was serious.

Aragog gulped his feast down with gusto, and he walked back to the forest.

The humans went back to the castle.

Narcissa took Draco to the room that had been prepared for them in a Slytherin dorm, and Abby carried Harry to their quarters.

Pince Muggle-napped Gibbs, Ducky wizard-napped Dumbledore, and Pomfrey and McGonagall followed Remus, Snape and Malfoy. Remus led them to the Room of Requirement, summoned it, and they retrieved the Horcrux that Riddle had dared to store there.

The witches stayed to make an inventory of the room that had been brought by magic, while Remus took the diadem to Filius Flitwick's quarters.

Malfoy and Snape went to join their respective companions.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	43. Chapter 43

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

At one point in the night, almost at dawn, all Wizarding adults in the castle woke up.

'Whassup?' Abby groaned after Snape jumped with surprise and woke her in the process.

'I'm sorry, Honey,' he apologized. 'Apparently, Flitwick resorted to High magic to clean the Horcrux.'

'Okay. Good. G'night,' she mumbled as she fell asleep again on his shoulder.

Snape smiled at his sleeping lover – a non-caffeinated Abby could be funny. Snape reflected that Flitwick had been inspired to use High magic; the other professor must have channelled some of the magic left by Rowena Ravenclaw inside the castle in order to clean her diadem. That was simple, yet brilliant.

With only three Horcruxes to acquire and clean, Snape thought that they'd be able to end the war for good rather soon. Then, Harry would no longer be the target of Tom Riddle, and then, when he was fully free, Snape thought he'd bond with Abby.

Snape fell asleep with a smile on his lips.

.

.

.

In the morning, the inhabitants and guests of Hogwarts met for breakfast in the Great Hall.

Gibbs and Abby looked like zombies; Abby needed her morning coffee, and Gibbs hadn't slept at all.

'We'll need two buckets of coffee for them,' Ducky whispered to Dumbledore.

Instantly, two actual buckets of coffee were brought by magic where Abby and Gibbs had just sat.

Dumbledore briefly caressed Ducky's hand as the ME blinked.

'Cup, please,' Abby said.

Greenli appeared instantly and handed Abby a china cup. 'Here, Mistress,' she said.

'Thanks, Dear,' mumbled Abby.

Flitwick was the last to arrive.

'How do you feel?' Pomfrey inquired.

The diminutive wizard looked at the Mediwitch with a small smile and said merrily, 'I'm not so ancient that High magic tires me too much.'

'Excellent! I'll save the Pepper-up for when the kids are back, then,' Pomfrey joked.

Flitwick chuckled.

'Where did you put the diadem?' McGonagall asked her fellow head of house.

'I placed it on Ravenclaw's statue in our common room. Of course, I added a spell that will prevent the students from borrowing it,' Flitwick said as he started having breakfast.

'I'll go to Gringotts' after our trip to the Ministry,' Malfoy told Dumbledore.

'I'll wait for you. I don't want to leave Draco alone,' Narcissa declared.

'Draco can stay with Harry and me,' Snape said.

'I'm sure the kids would love that,' Abby said as she finished her third cup from her bucket of coffee.

'Thank you, Severus. I'll go to the Grimmauld Place mansion, then,' Narcissa said.

'The sooner we can finish this business, the better,' Snape said. 'I'll go retrieve the ring when you're back from London – hopefully with both objects.'

Narcissa and Malfoy nodded.

Harry and Draco were very happy to get to spend another day playing together.

'Greenli, you'll stay with the boys at all times,' Snape ordered.

'Yes, Master,' she said.

Snape turned to Harry and Draco and said, 'You can play with Greenli, but you're to obey her. Is that clear?'

'Yes, Daddy!' and 'Yes, Uncle Severus!' answered the boys.

The adults – and Greenli – smiled.

Dumbledore was the first to leave with Malfoy and Remus. Narcissa left not long after them, and she was followed by Ducky and Abby, who decided that starting work early in Washington would bring them back to Hogwarts sooner.

The teachers, except Snape, left the hall to go plan the next school year. Pince pecked Gibbs's cheek and followed Pomfrey.

'Greenli, why don't you go with the boys to our quarters?' Snape said.

She took the boys' hands and obeyed her master.

'What's on your mind, Jethro?' Snape inquired.

'Didn't you read my thoughts?' Gibbs asked.

'Not this time,' Snape answered.

'Well, there's no beating around the bush… I think I might need the potion you gave Abby. Spells can be tiring – interesting, but tiring,' Gibbs said.

Snape looked at the other man, put two and two together and smiled. 'Come to my lab, and I'll give you a whole phial. I'll provide you with as much potion as you want.'

'I'll have to buy the ingredients to thank you,' Gibbs said.

'You don't have to,' Snape protested.

'No, but I'd like to… Or I could baby-sit for you,' Gibbs said.

'I think you'll have other things to do than baby-sit your nephew,' Snape pointed out.

Gibbs chuckled. 'I don't think Irma would mind having Harry around,' he said.

'The witches here have made it no secret that Irma wants children,' Snape declared.

Gibbs nodded and said, 'We've talked a lot, too, last night.'

Snape nodded once.

'Jethro?' Snape said.

'Severus?'

'Do you trust me?' Snape asked.

Gibbs glared at his little _brother_, which made Snape chuckle.

'I think we should go _shopping_ for ingredients,' Snape said.

Gibbs knew that the shopping had to be a mere pretext. 'Let's go,' he said.

Snape escorted Gibbs to his lab, gave him a healthy dose of Pepper-up potion, and a phial full of it that he protected with a spell to make sure that it wouldn't break in Gibbs's pocket.

'Let's go to Diagon Alley. Will you Floo with me?' Snape asked.

'Of course,' Gibbs said.

Snape piloted Gibbs, and a few seconds later, they were in London.

'So, what's really going on?' Gibbs asked.

'I'm convinced that Dumbledore wouldn't be reasonable when it comes to the Resurrection Stone. I said that I'd go retrieve it later, but I think I should do it while he's busy at the Ministry. Clearing Hagrid's name and investigating Pettigrew's magical past will take hours,' Snape said.

'I'll cover your back, Severus. We should buy something to cover our tracks first, though,' Gibbs said.

'I'm going to need more phials for the potions I brew for Poppy. I'll take you to the apothecary,' Snape said.

When they reached the shop, there was a young woman at the counter, arguing with the wizard behind it.

'I can assure you that I'm not prejudiced against Squibs, Miss!' the wizard said as politely as possible.

'Then, do something to help me!' she barked.

'There is no potion that can help you. I've already told you that, Miss! You must admit what you've done, and the curse will disappear instantly,' the wizard explained.

The Squib swirled around. She looked feverish, and her face was covered with tiny spots; the ones on her brow spelled "thief".

She stormed out of the shop, and as soon as the door closed, Snape started laughing.

'Professor Snape?' the apothecary said worriedly. After all, he'd never seen Snape even _smile_.

'Are you all right, Severus?' Gibbs wondered.

'Can't you guess who she is?' Snape asked Gibbs when he'd calmed down.

Gibbs put two and two together and chuckled.

'I understand better if that was your curse, Professor,' the apothecary said.

'It seems that Miss Toransenn can't help stealing other people's works. She'll have to learn the lesson,' Snape said coldly.

'The others are never going to believe it! What were the odds?!' Gibbs exclaimed.

Snape smiled. He introduced Gibbs to the wizard, and he placed his order for phials to be delivered to Hogwarts.

They left the shop, and Snape guided Gibbs to Knockturn Alley.

Even though he was just a Muggle, it seemed that the Wizarding people there thought that Gibbs – and Snape – was better left alone.

In a dark corner, Snape took Gibbs's hand and Apparated with him to the Gaunt's shack, where Snape located the first Horcrux made by the future Voldemort.

'We should go somewhere else, and you should try to clean it before Dumbledore offers to help,' Gibbs said.

'I don't want to involve Abigail either,' Snape said.

'That's a good thing, but would you tell me why?' Gibbs said.

'She has predispositions for magic – I think that her place of birth might have made her more receptive to magic. However, she's a Muggle and involving her in such a powerful spell would tire her. I'd rather avoid that,' Snape explained.

Gibbs nodded, satisfied with Snape's answer.

'Shall we go to my house?' Snape suggested.

'Why not,' Gibbs said.

That turned out to be a very good idea because the place now reminded Snape that he had a family, friends… a son and a lover.

With a High magic spell and all his love for Harry and Abby, Snape destroyed the part of Riddle's soul that was kept within the ring. He made sure that it was safe to use it, thanks to a series of intricate spells.

To help Snape recover from the effort, Gibbs gave a few drops of the potion Snape had given him.

'Thank you, Jethro,' he said. He showed Gibbs the ring and added, 'Who would believe that this is one of the most powerful and mythical objects in my world.'

'Irma told me about the Deathly Hallows. Does it really allow you to speak with the dead?' Gibbs asked.

'Do you want to try it?' Snape said.

Gibbs was convinced that the magic wouldn't work for him, but he followed Snape's instructions. The next instant, Shannon and Kelly were next to him.

When he saw Gibbs pale, Snape understood that it was working.

'Irma is a very good woman, Gibbs. I'm glad you've found her. You'd better not let her down, or I'll find a way to haunt you!' Shannon said.

'And I hope I'll have a witch for sister! Magic's so cool, Dad!' Kelly exclaimed.

Gibbs opened his mouth to say something, but Shannon stopped him, 'Don't you put your foot in your mouth! We love you, and we want you to be happy. We'll meet again in another realm or another life.'

'_Witches_ for sisters would be nice… and one wizard for Uncle Severus and Cousin Harry to have someone to fly with,' Kelly said.

'But witches can fly,' Gibbs said.

Kelly beamed and said, 'Yes! That's right! Well, you'll have to take them all on the boat and tell them the stories you were telling me. Promise?'

'I promise, Princess,' Gibbs said.

'We'll always be in your heart, Gibbs. We've said goodbye properly, now we'll go on to the next stage of our travel,' Shannon said.

Kelly and Shannon blew kisses at Gibbs, who took the ring off. His late wife and daughter disappeared, and he knew that it was the last time that he'd see them until he died himself.

Snape gave Gibbs a handkerchief to dry his few tears.

'Thanks,' Gibbs said as he handed Snape the ring. 'Your turn now.'

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	44. Chapter 44

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'No,' Snape said as he put the ring in his breast pocket and added a spell on it to protect the precious item.

'No?' Gibbs asked.

'No… James would have found a way to haunt me if he disapproved of me taking care of Harry, and Lily's protection was transferred to me. That's all I need to know,' Snape explained.

'Don't you need to say goodbye?' Gibbs inquired.

'I only need to take good care of Harry… and of Abigail. She's my lover, and it would be unfair if I used the stone to see Lily. Abigail is my witch,' Snape clarified.

'Abby's not a witch, Severus,' Gibbs said, one corner of his mouth rising.

'Oh, I beg to differ. She's a Muggle, but she definitely has me under her spell,' Snape said.

Gibbs smiled at his _brother_. Snape really was under Abby's spell, and he was a brand new man now.

'Let's Floo back to Hogwarts. I imagine your team will be waiting for you now,' Snape said.

'I bet we're the first team to arrive for work at headquarters now,' Gibbs said.

'Jethro, do you think that the ring could be kept somewhere at NCIS Headquarters?' Snape said.

'DiNozzo has a safe in his desk. If I ask him, he'll keep it for you – and he could even add a Protection spell now. However, are you sure that you don't want to keep it near you?' Gibbs asked.

'Since he's met Ducky, Albus has improved a lot, but old habits die hard. I don't trust him fully. Not yet. He's an Occlumens and a Legilimens, just like me,' Snape said.

'You should have a word with Ducky, to begin with,' Gibbs said.

'And then, what?' Snape asked with a small smile.

'Then you should use Muggle ways to hide or store the ring,' Gibbs said.

'What do you suggest?' Snape inquired.

'Either you warn Abby and you put it among her jewellery, or you give it to her. If she doesn't turn it, it's just any other ring,' Gibbs said.

Snape froze, which made Gibbs look at the other man. Gibbs was truly puzzled.

'Abigail said she'd bond with me. Don't you think that she'd prefer a different ring? Something new, something not magical,' Snape asked.

'She's really changed her mind about marriage,' Gibbs declared.

Snape nodded.

Gibbs smiled widely. 'I think she'd love that ring. She knows how precious it is, and more important, she knows what it means to you,' he said.

'I can't propose to her now. There are still two Horcruxes to clean, and Riddle could come back,' Snape said.

'Severus, what if it takes you _years_ to get rid of Riddle?' Gibbs asked.

Snape blinked at that.

'Would you _wait_?' Gibbs insisted.

Snape made up his mind right then and there.

'Is there something that you need to take in Hogwarts?' Snape asked.

'Nope.'

'Then why Floo when I can Apparate you?' Snape said with a small smile.

'Aim for Abby's lab, Severus,' Gibbs said.

A moment later, Snape and Gibbs arrived in the lab.

'I'll get to work,' Gibbs told Snape and Abby. 'Grab a magical badge if you're planning to stay,' he told Snape before leaving.

'Are you planning to stay?' Abby asked her lover.

'Well, just a few minutes… if you think that we can talk without being interrupted,' Snape said.

Right then, Mr. Palmer walked into the main room of the lab. Ducky's apprentice walked to Abby's office.

'Good morning, Abby, Professor Snape,' Palmer said.

'Morning, Jimmy!' Abby said joyfully.

'Good morning, Mr Palmer. Are you adapting to Ducky's new schedule?' Snape asked.

'I'm an early bird, Professor. I quite like the new schedule,' Palmer said with a wide and bright smile.

Snape smiled back.

'What can I do for you, Jimmy?' Abby inquired.

'Dr Mallard would like to know if you can analyse a few samples, non-case related, later today,' Palmer said.

'Of course,' Abby said. 'Is it something secret for Ducky, or is it training?'

'Just training,' Palmer said. 'He'd like to try the new solution you've found.

'Okay, Jimmy,' Abby said as she gave him a bottle of liquid.

'I'll go back to the morgue. Have a nice day,' Palmer said.

'Have a nice day, Mr Palmer,' Snape said.

When Palmer was gone, Snape turned to Abby and asked, 'Can you follow me to our quarters?'

'I can take a break,' she said.

Ruby Rae and DiNozzo jogged into the lab before Abby and Snape could step into their Hogwarts' quarters.

'What's wrong?' Snape asked.

'I'm just following Ruby, Minerva ordered her to train me,' DiNozzo said, almost pouting.

'Nothing's wrong, Professor. Tim's changing the camera recording right now; so, we're good, but you Apparated without a badge. I'd forgotten that you can get here without using the door. What you could do is put a spell on the camera,' Rae said.

'It would explode,' Snape protested.

'Not if you charm only the lens,' Rae explained.

'What spell do you have in mind?' Snape inquired.

When Rae told him her plan, he agreed and cast the spell. From now on, with a magical badge or not, Snape would never be spotted – at least inside Abby's lab.

As soon as it was done – and checked by McGee – Rae and DiNozzo left. In fact, DiNozzo felt that there was something going on, but Rae threatened to help Ziva deal with him if he bugged Abby or her boyfriend; DiNozzo followed Rae obediently.

Abby took Snape's hand and fled with him to their parlour.

With a flick of his wand, Snape locked all the doors.

'What do you want to tell me?' she asked.

'You know that I don't fully trust Albus,' he began.

'You might have said something like that,' she teased him.

He chuckled and went on, 'So, while he's at the Ministry, I went with Jethro to the place where the ring was. It's clean now.'

'I could have helped, or at least stood by you,' she said.

Snape's tongue was faster than his brain and he said, 'But you're always in my heart, Abigail.'

Abby purred. Literally.

Snape blushed deeply and added, 'I was really afraid that that part of his soul could try to do something against you, and hurt you in some way.'

Abby kissed him.

'Now it's _just_ a ring,' Snape said as he took it from his pocket.

'Does it really work?' she asked.

'It worked for Jethro,' Snape declared.

Abby nodded. She understood what her lover wasn't saying about Gibbs and his late wife and daughter.

'I guess it worked for you,' she said. 'What did the Potters say?'

'I didn't use it, and I'm not planning to. There's no need for that,' Snape said.

Abby felt tears come to her eyes, and she felt silly because of it.

'What are you planning to do with it?' she asked.

'Well, first of all, I'd like you to keep it away from Albus. Jethro suggested a very good way to make it your ring,' Snape said.

'But Gibbs doesn't know much about magic!' Abby exclaimed.

'He knows a thing or two about relationships. Riddle is the only person who had a legal claim on the ring, but by leaving it in an abandoned place without an actual Protection spell – besides a few strands of his soul, it's as if he's renounced it. It is now fully, legally mine,' Snape said. Abby nodded and waited to see where this was leading. 'Do you think you would like it to be yours?'

Abby blinked.

'Abigail?'

'Do you want me to just keep it, or is it something closer to "do you like that engagement ring"?' she asked.

'Do you still want to bond with me?' he asked, holding out the ring.

'You're serious, aren't you?'

He nodded once.

Abby knew how precious the ring with the Resurrection stone was. She was no Legilimens, but the fact that he wanted her to have it told her how important she was to Snape.

She gave Snape her hand, and he placed the ring on it.

'I'll bond with you anytime, Honey. I love you,' she said.

'You and our Bunny make my life so nice,' Snape whispered.

She kissed him.

She was still in his arms when she asked, 'How do we plan a bonding?'

'I don't know all the details. I can ask my colleagues and tell you everything tonight,' he said.

'Ask Irma,' she suggested.

'Cunning,' he praised her.

'Well, I don't think Gibbs would growl,' Abby pointed out.

'I do not think so, indeed,' Snape agreed.

'So,' Abby said, 'we're engaged.'

'Officially. I've felt linked to you the moment we first kissed.'

That earned him another, hotter kiss.

.

.

.

At the same moment, Narcissa was talking with Kreacher, the house-elf of the Black family.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	45. Chapter 45

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The old, faithful house-elf was very happy to see a respectable member of the family he served.

The way Kreacher welcomed her told her that the house-elf of her birth family was feeling lonely. He had nothing to do, but keep the house safe until the rightful heir, Sirius Black, came back to claim what was his. Black might be coming back sooner than anyone could have expected, but Kreacher thought that his master was a traitor to the Black family, and Narcissa counted on the elf's feelings in order to get his help.

'I'm going to be honest, Kreacher. I need your help with something,' Narcissa said.

'Anything, Mistress,' he answered instantly.

Narcissa didn't go on immediately; she looked at Kreacher with an intensity that showed the elf that the witch was dead serious. Kreacher was quite eager to do something for a decent member of the Black family.

'Do not be so hasty. I need something very big from you,' she said.

Kreacher nodded and waited.

'By magic, a few fellow witches and I discovered that there is a locket that is kept here. It belonged to Slytherin himself,' she said.

Kreacher tensed; his late master Regulus had entrusted him with that locket.

'I see you know which item I mean,' Narcissa said. 'I need to have access to it to protect my son.'

Kreacher knelt and started banging his head on the floor. Narcissa crouched next to him.

'Without it, my only son could be in danger,' Narcissa begged.

'I can't give it to you, Mistress Narcissa. I promised Master Regulus as he lay dying,' Kreacher said.

Narcissa had an epiphany.

'But I don't need to take it from you!' she exclaimed.

Kreacher looked at her, lost.

'I just need you to make it safe for our family. I need you to protect my son,' Narcissa said.

'How, Mistress Narcissa?' Kreacher inquired.

'Do you know that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named stole the locket?' she asked.

Kreacher nodded and said, 'I could feel it, Mistress Narcissa.'

'The Dark Lord will annihilate my family if the locket isn't cleaned of its Dark magic. He turned it into a Horcrux,' she explained. 'Help me.'

'Just clean it? Won't you ask me to give it to you?' he asked.

'I don't need it,' she said. She took her wand from her sleeve, placed her free hand above it and said, 'I swear I don't want the locket. I just want my son to grow up in a free world.'

Since Narcissa had presently taken a Witching oath, Kreacher believed her.

'Mistress Narcissa finishes her cup of tea here, and Kreacher will clean the locket,' he announced before disappearing.

If it were to protect the Blacks, Kreacher could clean the Horcrux, thanks to his natural abilities and unconventional magic. The house-elf went to take the locket from its hiding place, and – now that Narcissa had asked him to save her heir from harm – he could deal with the Dark magic he'd always felt in that item.

When the Wizarding community had managed to win the fight against the house-elves, it had been by sheer luck and a combination of unlikely factors. House-elves had seen their powers and abilities limited when they'd had to surrender, but if they were given permission, they could unleash forces that would leave a single wizard weak for days.

Kreacher cleaned the locket with a single thought; he did it for his late master, Regulus Black, and for Narcissa and her son. After all, if Sirius were to die in Azkaban, which Kreacher knew hadn't happened yet, Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa Malfoy and her son Draco would be his next masters. He had to protect them; that was his chosen duty.

Narcissa was looking at the golden liquid in her cup, but she wasn't drinking her tea when the elf came back.

'Look, Mistress Narcissa, it's clean now,' Kreacher said as he handed her the locket.

She took it reverently. Now, she could feel that it no longer was a Horcrux. From the sofa where she was sitting, Narcissa slid to the floor and hugged Kreacher.

The grumpy house-elf squeaked with surprise.

'Thank you! Just two more Horcruxes to clean, and then my baby will be safe, and then… maybe…' she said gratefully.

'Mistress?' the elf whispered.

She put her hands on his shoulders and said, 'If the world is safe again, we'll try to have another child. I'd love Draco to grow up with siblings.'

'More heirs?' Kreacher said.

Narcissa smiled and nodded.

'Kreacher wants to help,' he declared.

'Would you help us clean another Horcrux once we've gained access to it?' she asked.

'Perhaps I can help you get to it,' he said.

Narcissa squeezed his shoulders and looked at the floor as she murmured, 'No one can take it yet. It's in Bella's vault.'

'Gringotts?' he asked.

Narcissa nodded and added, 'My husband will try to bargain with the Goblins, but if I must, I'll go see my sister in Azkaban.'

'Mistress Narcissa, Kreacher can clean the object inside the vault if you don't want to retrieve it,' he said.

Narcissa was so surprised that she sat on the dusty floor.

'Mistress?'

'Can you really do that?' she inquired.

'Kreacher is a house-elf of the Black family. Kreacher can access the vaults for maintenance, but Kreacher can take nothing from them, of course,' he explained.

'Merlin! That would help us so much,' Narcissa almost sobbed.

'Allow Kreacher to do it,' Kreacher said.

'Please,' she whispered.

He nodded and went by magic to the Wizarding bank.

The Goblin in charge of the Lestranges' vault was somewhat surprised to see Kreacher, but since there was no magical contract to prevent a _family_ house-elf from entering the vault, the Goblin had Kreacher escorted to it.

Among the dozen Dark artefacts there, Kreacher had no problem locating Hufflepuff's cup. Cleaning it the exact same way that he'd cleaned Slytherin's locket was very easy for him. The Goblin who'd accompanied him never suspected anything, and within a few minutes, Kreacher was back in Grimmauld Place.

'It is done, Mistress Narcissa,' he announced.

She was so relieved that she started crying. Kreacher thought that he'd done something wrong, and he started banging his head with the poker that he'd taken by the fireplace.

Narcissa rushed to him and made him stop as she held him the way she held her son.

Kreacher was quite dizzy – and rather staggered. That was the explanation that he'd give later when asked why he'd said "yes" to Narcissa's next question.

'May I claim my family privilege over you?' she said.

As soon as he'd answered positively, she called a Malfoy house-elf, whom her husband despised. As a member of the Black family, Narcissa ordered Kreacher and Dobby to trade places.

Dobby was ordered to preserve the mansion until Sirius Black came back, and Kreacher was invited to Malfoy manor.

'Are there things that you'd like to take with you?' Narcissa asked Kreacher.

The house-elf shook his head, but she knew that he was lying.

'Dear Kreacher, I want you to be happy with me and my new family. You must be happy if you are to take good care of our first born and only heir – for the moment,' she coaxed him.

'There are a few things that Master Regulus gave Kreacher,' he said. Barely above a whisper, he added, 'And there's the locket.'

'You must definitely keep protecting the locket,' she insisted. 'And do take whatever you wish from here.'

Kreacher had made himself a nest of some sort in one of the cupboards, and he took the bric-a-brac that he'd accumulated during his long life.

'Dobby,' Narcissa said before leaving with Kreacher, 'take good care of this house for your new master.'

Dobby nodded fervently. He knew that Malfoy's patience with him was dangerously thinning. Dobby decided to make this mansion the best place to live.

The instant Narcissa and Kreacher had Floo'ed to Hogwarts, Dobby reflected that there was too much Dark magic in the mansion, and he started cleaning the place in earnest. He didn't know when Sirius Black would come home, but Dobby didn't fancy finding himself on the street without a place to stay and a family to serve.

Narcissa had been too shaken to remember to Floo to the guest quarters, and she'd arrived into the staff room.

'I want you to go to the manor, find yourself a spot that you like, and come back here. Then, I'll introduce you to Draco,' she said.

'Mistress Narcissa really wants Kreacher to protect Master Draco?' he asked.

'You've already started,' she pointed out.

Kreacher disappeared before he blushed like a beacon.

Narcissa sat down heavily in one of the chairs.

'What's wrong?' asked a young boy in one of the paintings.

Narcissa remembered the boy from her days in Hogwarts; he was known for running from frame to frame to see as many people as possible, outside and inside the paintings, each and every day.

'Nothing, but it's been a busy morning,' she said.

'You don't look too good, Miss Cissa. I'll run to the hospital wing,' the boy said.

Before she could protest, the boy had already disappeared. Her old nickname made her smile, and not a minute later, Pomfrey was Floo'ing in.

'What's wrong?' the Mediwitch inquired, wand in hand.

Narcissa grinned and said, 'Nothing, Madam Pomfrey. I've claimed Kreacher as my house-elf because he cleaned the locket _and_ the cup. As soon as Lucius is back from the Ministry with Headmaster Dumbledore and Remus, Severus can go get the ring, and then we'll be close to the end of the war. Just one last Horcrux, and then we can Apparate to the Dark Lord's hiding place!'

Right then, McGonagall ran into the room.

'I was looking for you!' McGonagall exclaimed.

'What's wrong?' Pomfrey asked.

That question seemed to become a leitmotiv.

'The list of Horcruxes is now empty, as if they'd all been destroyed!' McGonagall explained.

'But Severus told us he'd go later!' Narcissa said.

'Maybe he's already got the ring,' Pomfrey said.

'He's got a ring all right,' the boy in the painting declared.

'How do you know?' Pomfrey asked him.

'I don't know if I should spoil his surprise,' the boy protested.

'Please,' Narcissa said, turning on her Veela heritage to charm the boy.

'Well, the professor proposed to his pretty friend, and she said yes,' the boy said.

Pomfrey and Narcissa were a bit stunned.

McGonagall chuckled.

'Minerva?' Pomfrey said.

'Best way to kill two birds with one stone. Albus will never put his greedy fingers on Abby's engagement ring now! That's brilliant!' she exclaimed. 'Do you know what we can do now?'

'End that wretched war,' Narcissa growled.

McGonagall's grin when she nodded would have best suited a Slytherin.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible - I'm already typing!)


	46. Chapter 46

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'Do you think _we_ can end it?' Pomfrey inquired.

'I'm ready to fight,' Narcissa said.

'I bet Irma would love to join,' McGonagall pointed out.

'And I think I should stay with Lucius,' Pomfrey declared. 'Merlin knows what killing Riddle is going to do to those who bear his Dark mark.'

'Thank you so much,' Narcissa said.

'Your other half can be a warranted pain in the neck, but Greyback made him see the light. For your sake, I'll keep an eye on him,' Pomfrey said.

'You should send a house-elf to tell your husband that he doesn't need to go to Gringotts,' McGonagall said.

Kreacher came back right then.

'I'd like you to go see my husband and tell him that he doesn't need to go to the bank, and to come back here as soon as possible,' Narcissa told Kreacher.

'Yes, Mistress Narcissa,' the house-elf answered obediently.

The three witches saw a very surprised elf re-appear in the room not a minute after leaving.

'Master Lucius is in Headmaster Dumbledore's office here,' Kreacher announced.

'Thank you,' Narcissa said.

'I'll go there, and I'll stay with Lucius to make sure he's fine,' Pomfrey said.

'I must bind Kreacher to Draco,' Narcissa said.

'Why don't you do that while I go see Irma?' McGonagall said.

'Let's do that,' Pomfrey said.

'Let's Floo and meet in London when we're done,' McGonagall told Narcissa.

Pince was delighted that she was invited to go do what was necessary to end the war and protect the children – Wizarding and Muggle alike.

Narcissa used old magic to bind Kreacher to her son. Kreacher would die to protect his young master.

Greenli deeply amused Narcissa when she made it clear that Kreacher was not to interfere with her duties to Harry and his family. Greenli was a much younger elf than Kreacher, but she was ready to bite the other elf if necessary, and the look on the older elf's face was priceless.

Narcissa kissed her son and Harry, told the elves to be extra careful, and Floo'ed to London to meet Pince and McGonagall.

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Pomfrey walked into the headmaster's office.

'How did it go at the Ministry?' the witch asked.

'We accessed the finger, and we were able to cast the spell on it,' Dumbledore said.

He, Remus and Malfoy were gathered around his desk where dozens and dozens of scrolls of parchment were.

'We've got the complete list of every single spell cast on and by Peter Pettigrew,' Malfoy explained.

'How are you planning to proceed?' she asked.

'We need to separate the spells, and then the lucky winner gets to read the whole thing,' Remus answered.

'Interesting quirk of the spell,' Pomfrey said.

'Boring,' Malfoy said.

'But necessary,' Dumbledore said.

Malfoy sighed.

'You don't sound like a potential volunteer,' Pomfrey said with a merry chuckle.

'He never was a fan of homework,' Remus murmured.

Malfoy glared at the younger wizard.

'I can do it,' Dumbledore said.

'Don't you have other things to do?' Remus asked.

Pomfrey laughed heartily.

Dumbledore blushed and said, 'Poppy!'

'Don't mind me. My mind's in the gutter,' Pomfrey said.

Malfoy and Remus caught up with the allusion and made a point to admire Fawkes, the phoenix that looked like a dead chicken at that moment.

'Well, you will certainly have a lot to do when the war ends,' Pomfrey said.

'The house-elf that Narcissa sent told us that the locket and the cup have been cleaned, but Severus still has to go look for the ring. He's quite gifted, but cleaning that particular item won't be done so easily,' Dumbledore said, as if he knew what was really going on.

Pomfrey smiled and said, 'The end of the war is closer today.'

'That is true,' Dumbledore agreed.

'Do you know what you're going to do when it's over?' Pomfrey asked her old friend.

'I have a few ideas,' Dumbledore said.

'You should work on that plan, Headmaster. We need to be ready by then. Severus offered to help me plan my lessons; therefore, I should be the one to cast the spell on the parchments we brought back from the Ministry,' Remus said.

'I have more time than you,' Malfoy countered Remus.

'True, but we can't know what the death of Riddle is going to do to you. I should be the one reading the list of spells,' Remus said.

'We have time,' Dumbledore said.

Pomfrey smirked when, right then, Malfoy howled and fainted.

She rushed to her patient and, as she started taking care of Malfoy, who was in shock, she told Dumbledore, 'We don't have time, Albus. The war is over now.'

'What do you mean the war is over?!' Dumbledore shouted.

Remus put two and two together faster. 'Severus has already cleaned the ring, and you, ladies, decided to protect our world by facing Riddle,' he stated.

'The sooner we ended the war, the better,' Pomfrey said, as she cast a few spells on Malfoy.

'But I could have helped!' Dumbledore protested.

'You're going to help right now. First, you'll help me take Malfoy back to the hospital wing, and then you'll share the good news with the members of the Order,' Pomfrey said.

'I'll cast the spell on the parchments,' Remus said.

Dumbledore knew when he was defeated. He walked around his desk and carried the passed out Malfoy.

Dumbledore turned to Remus and said, 'Use my office if you want, it'll be more practical.' He turned to Pomfrey and said, 'Let's Floo; Lucius is too heavy for me to carry, and I imagine you don't want him to float thanks to a spell.'

Pomfrey took a pinch of Floo powder and said, 'Lucius has had too much magic done on him recently. He'll need to rest, and then he should be fine.'

'And you're keeping me busy,' Dumbledore stated.

'Of course,' Pomfrey said impudently. She threw the powder and gave their destination; green flames took them away.

Remus allowed himself a five-second break as he leant back in his chair. He grinned and took a deep breath – the war was over, and he had a great job. Now, he just had to work to discover if Peter was James and Lily's Secret Keeper.

Remus stood up, took his wand and cast the spell that would differentiate the spells that the late Peter Pettigrew had cast from those that had been cast on him.

Remus cast the spell, and… nothing happened.

He blinked, took a deep breath, and cast it again with the same result.

'All right… That's not normal,' Remus said aloud.

Fawkes sang a few sad notes, and the phoenix burst into flames.

'I wonder what kind of omen that is,' Remus murmured.

He cast Protection spells on the parchments and went to the Library. Pince wasn't there.

Killing Riddle and disposing of his remains hadn't taken the three witches long, but the combination of spells had tired them, and they hadn't Apparated back to England just yet.

Remus immediately went to the Restricted section. If he was to find a book that could explain why his spell on the parchments wasn't working, it would be there.

Remus found a book that contained spells that he thought would help him. He took the book, left a note on Pince's desk, and went back to Dumbledore's office. He would still be there when Snape came to find him at dinner-time.

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.

Dumbledore deposited Malfoy on a bed.

'Will he be all right?' he asked his resident Mediwitch.

Pomfrey cast a spell on Malfoy.

'He will,' she said slowly.

Dumbledore had been working with Pomfrey for many, many years, and he knew that there was something that she wasn't saying.

'What's on your mind?' he asked.

'First, I think that his change of mind made a huge difference – I predict that the other Death Eaters who were still faithful to the Dark Lord won't fare as well as Lucius. Then, I think that either Narcissa or the house-elf that she sent to see you must have done something to protect him,' she explained.

Right on cue, Malfoy groaned.

'Severus is going to have to brew another cauldron of Pepper-up,' Pomfrey said.

'I don't think he'll mind this time,' Dumbledore said.

Malfoy groaned again and opened his eyes slowly.

'Don't move, Lucius. The Dark Lord is dead, and his Mark left you instantly,' Pomfrey explained.

Malfoy gurgled something.

'Don't move and shut up,' Pomfrey said.

Malfoy moaned.

'Get a bit of rest,' she told him.

Malfoy tried again to say something.

'I'm not a mind reader. I'll make you sleep if you don't obey me,' she growled.

Dumbledore used Legilimency and said, 'He wants to know where his wife is.'

The Floo Network spat McGonagall, Pince and Narcissa into the hospital.

'She's right here. Don't move,' Pomfrey said as she walked to the three witches.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	47. Chapter 47

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Pomfrey cast a Diagnosis spell on each of them and just whispered, 'A bucket of Pepper-up will do.'

'What?' Pince asked.

'You're a bit tired, magically speaking, that is, but you're fine. You're all fine. How did it go?' Pomfrey inquired.

'We found him exactly where the parchment said he would be,' McGonagall said.

'And he was in no shape to resist,' Narcissa said.

'You were so angry that you caused a small earthquake when you offed him!' Pince told Narcissa with a merry chuckle.

Malfoy gurgled something, and Pomfrey swirled towards him. 'What did I say?!' she growled at the wizard on the bed.

Malfoy squeaked.

Dumbledore looked at Narcissa and asked, 'Did you kill Tom Riddle?'

'Hell, yes!' she almost shouted. 'That pitiful entity had the nerve to project thoughts to me telling me, in great detail, what he would do to my family. I thought of what Lily Potter must have tried, I thought of all the innocents killed, and I put an end to his reign of terror.'

'What have you done with him?' Dumbledore asked.

'Irma and I disposed of what was left of him,' McGonagall declared.

'Perhaps I should go check…' Dumbledore began to say.

McGonagall growled, and Pince aimed her wand at her boss.

'How dare you?!' Pince hissed.

'My dear child, I merely want to make sure that we're safe,' Dumbledore dug himself in deeper – much deeper.

Pince huffed.

'Because we can't do the job, of course!' McGonagall spat.

'That's not what I mean…' Dumbledore began to say.

'You know what? I don't want to know what you mean, _Headmaster_,' Pince said his title as if it were the name of a disease. 'Whatever you do with the Order, I'm no longer a part of it. According to the Ministry, the War ended the night the Potters died; let people believe whatever they want, I'm going back to my library, and anything not "work related" coming from you will be welcomed with some nasty hex.'

Pince stormed out of the hospital.

Pomfrey had already given Pepper-up potion to Malfoy and his wife; she gave a spoonful of it to McGonagall and made another one float in pursuit of the irate librarian.

'You're really impossible!' a very disappointed McGonagall told her old friend.

'I just want to make sure that you're all safe,' Dumbledore declared.

'Albus, there's a huge difference between protecting us and not trusting us to do the job because we're younger and we're witches,' McGonagall said.

The Deputy Headmistress was obviously disappointed.

'But…' Dumbledore began to say.

'Tut! It's always like that with you, Albus. Now, I advise you to go share the good news with the members of the Order, who can then spread and relay the information,' McGonagall said. 'I have something more important to do.'

The witch swirled elegantly and left the hospital, too.

Dumbledore blinked several times.

'Albus, you should make sure that our beloved Minister for Magic doesn't do something stupid if he understands what happened right now,' Pomfrey suggested.

'He believes that Tom was killed when he attacked James and Lily,' Dumbledore stated.

'Albus,' Pomfrey said with patience, 'Lucius no longer wanted to be a follower of the Dark Lord, and yet, he felt his death and fainted. Death Eaters dropping like flies must be attracting attention. Merlin knows what silly decisions our Minister could make if he thinks there's a potential danger.'

Dumbledore nodded. The spoon sent after Pince floated back into the hospital and collided with Dumbledore's forehead; apparently, Pince had hexed the spoon.

'I'll Floo to the Ministry. I'll warn Arthur, Kingsley and Alastor; they can contact the other members of the Order. I'll stay with Fudge until I'm sure that everything will be fine,' Dumbledore said.

'Do that,' Pomfrey said, fighting off laughter.

Dumbledore walked to the Mediwitch's office and used the Floo network from there.

'He wants to do well, but he can be a manipulative pain in the neck,' Narcissa said.

'Oh, I think he's in for a little surprise,' Pomfrey declared.

'At the Ministry?' Narcissa inquired worriedly.

'No… I think Minerva is on her way to NCIS to tell Dr Mallard what she thinks of his boyfriend,' Pomfrey explained.

Malfoy squeaked.

Pomfrey cast a new Diagnosis spell on the Malfoys and said, 'You're both fine. Don't overdo it, and I won't have to ask your house-elves to tackle you and keep you in bed to rest.'

'Thank you,' Malfoy said sincerely.

'Poppy?' Narcissa whispered.

When the Mediwitch looked at the younger woman, she noticed that Narcissa was blushing slightly. Pomfrey remembered that Narcissa wanted Draco to have siblings, and she cast another spell on Malfoy.

'Why?' Malfoy inquired, completely lost.

'Not a trace of Dark magic, and no consequences from the former Dark Mark. A nap sounds like a good idea, don't you think?' Pomfrey said.

'But I'm not tired!' Malfoy declared, still lost.

'Excellent!' Narcissa said with a saucy smirk. 'I'll borrow your Floo connection to go back to our quarters,' she told Pomfrey.

'Don't forget to disconnect it!' Pomfrey said as Narcissa started dragging her husband towards the fireplace.

Malfoy caught up, looked at Pomfrey as he said "Oh!" and started blushing furiously.

Pomfrey was still smiling when the green flames enveloped her visitors. She decided to go play with Draco and Harry.

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Dumbledore found the men he wanted to see at the Ministry. Weasley, Shacklebolt and Moody reached their contacts in the Order of the Phoenix, and within the hour, the news that the war was truly over had been delivered to each and every member.

The divisions and sub-divisions in the Order allowed the three men contacted by Dumbledore to start taking care of more serious matters as soon as they'd warned the few members on top of their contact lists.

All the Death Eaters had reacted like Malfoy the instant Lord Voldemort had been killed for good. Those who bore his Mark weren't that numerous, but those who'd managed to escape being shipped to Azkaban for good usually held high positions in the Ministry.

'The ministerial Executioner is in a coma. He's been Apparated to St Mungo's, and the Minister fears that there's a conspiracy,' Shacklebolt explained.

'Since we know why he really fainted, why don't we tell Minister Fudge?' Weasley suggested.

'He can be such a fool!' Moody spat.

'We must find something to avoid a panic,' Dumbledore said.

Someone in the office cleared her throat.

They all turned towards one of the youngest members of the Order, a Hogwarts student who was doing a magical placement to train to become an Auror.

'Do you have an idea, Tonks?' Shacklebolt asked kindly.

He and Arthur Weasley were certainly the only two who acknowledged her potential. Nymphadora Tonks was a metamorph – and that was too strange even for well-trained Aurors.

'Something simple should do, sir,' she said softly. 'A magical epidemic could explain their condition. They're all friends; therefore, they could have done something together that could explain their physical state.'

'Brilliant!' Moody snorted. 'Except that the scum in Azkaban haven't seen the light of day for years – much less met their friends!'

'But they're in Azkaban… Who cares what happens to prisoners there?' she insisted.

Moody's magical eyes rolled madly because the young witch, who would sit for her N.E.W.T.s only the following year, had a valid point.

'Let's try that!' Arthur Weasley suggested.

'I can always Memory-charm Fudge if he reacts badly,' Shacklebolt declared philosophically.

It turned out that Fudge reacted favourably, and when, in the afternoon, some Healer came to report that all the cases were linked, and that all the victims seemed to be active Death Eaters, Fudge ordered Moody to take appropriate measures.

Before dinner, the last remaining Death Eaters bearing Voldemort's Dark Mark had been transported to Azkaban where they would rot until the end of time. When the escorting Aurors came back, they announced that those who'd been in Azkaban when Voldemort died had been given the Kiss by Dementors. The magical entities had been drawn to those wizards and witches, and they'd sucked their souls before human guards could intervene. The guilty Dementors had been disposed of.

Dumbledore was having tea with Fudge when Tonks brought the Minister recent news about the latest events.

'What do you think happened?' Fudge asked Dumbledore worriedly. 'You hinted several times that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named might come back.'

'He's gone for good, Cornelius. His followers must have done something together, but we're safe now,' Dumbledore half-lied.

Fudge wanted to believe his old friend. He looked at Tonks and thanked the young woman.

To change the topic, Dumbledore was about to make the biggest mistake of the day.

'Miss Tonks, you'll be happy to hear that there will be a few changes when you come back to school in twelve days,' Dumbledore said.

'Really, sir?' she asked politely.

'I've found a Defence teacher who will help you prepare for your Auror training,' Dumbledore said.

Tonks had had six teachers in six years. She'd believe her Headmaster after her first lesson with the latest Defence teacher.

'You'll have to add another extra course to your placement schedule in-school,' Fudge added.

'Auror Moody disagrees with me, but I want to opt for Potions if Professor Snape accepts the additional work,' Tonks said.

'An excellent combination,' Dumbledore said. 'Tell me, Miss Tonks, can you baby-sit?'

'Y…Yes, sir. Why?' she wondered.

'Because your Potions master will need help with the young boy he's recently adopted,' Dumbledore explained. 'If you can help him with Harry, he might have time to train you.'

'I'd love that!' Tonks said enthusiastically.

'May I borrow Miss Tonks?' Dumbledore asked Fudge.

The Minister agreed, and Dumbledore Floo'ed to Hogwarts with Tonks to ask Snape for his help.

Fudge was still sipping his tea when his Assistant asked, 'How could Snape, a Death Eater, adopt a child?'

'It was a magical adoption. Perfectly valid,' Fudge answered.

His Assistant huffed and left the office. She went straight to the Central Magical Archives to see for herself how Severus Snape had adopted a baby wizard – and Minister Assistant Dolores Umbridge paled with rage when she read that Snape was Harry James Potter's legal guardian.

She would take that child from Snape if it were the last thing she did in her life.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	48. Chapter 48

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Umbridge decided to act alone. She went to Fudge's office; the Minister was conveniently away, and she used his Floo connection to go to Hogwarts. She arrived in the empty staff room.

Umbridge snapped her fingers, summoning a house-elf.

'There is a young child here who arrived recently. Bring it to me,' Umbridge said.

'Why?' the elf inquired.

Umbridge was quite taken aback that a mere house-elf dared to question _her_.

'Because I say so, and because I came here to take that child. Now obey, you filthy creature!' she spat.

'I don't know where he is, but I'll go ask,' the elf announced as he disappeared into thin air.

Umbridge sat down and waited for about five minutes. When the elf didn't come back, she called again, but another elf answered.

'Yes?' the elf asked somewhat coldly.

By then, the first elf had told all the other free house-elves that some unpleasant witch wanted to bug the Snape-Sciuto-Potters. Umbridge might come from the Ministry, but the elves didn't care much for her position.

'Take me to the child,' Umbridge ordered.

'Are you sure you want that?' the elf asked.

Umbridge glared and pointed her wand at the elf.

'As you like it. Follow me,' the elf said as he started trotting away.

Umbridge was escorted to the Great Hall, where Pomfrey was playing with Draco under Kreacher's surveillance.

Umbridge was furious because she could see that the child was blond, grey-eyed, and obviously unrelated to James and Lily Potter.

'Who is that child?' Umbridge asked the house-elf.

'Well, he's the only one around right now. If he isn't the child you're looking for, this elf doesn't know who you mean,' the elf said before disappearing.

'Where is Harry Potter?' Umbridge demanded.

Kreacher took Draco in his arms and wrapped the boy in a Silencing spell; just to be sure that the boy wouldn't give Umbridge a clue.

'Why do you want to know that?' Pomfrey inquired coldly.

'I am Minister Fudge's Assistant,' Umbridge answered.

'You're giving me your title, not a valid reason to be looking for Harry Potter,' Pomfrey pointed out.

'The child cannot stay with a Death Eater,' Umbridge spat.

'There's no Death Eater here. Perhaps you should check your information, my dear. Accusing people could cause all sorts of trouble for you,' Pomfrey said.

'How dare you! I was there when Snape was tried,' Umbridge said.

'Wasn't he exonerated because he was a spy for us?' Pomfrey asked rhetorically.

'He took the Dark mark!' Umbridge retorted.

'Um… you should check that the next time you see him,' Pomfrey said.

'I'm sure he's already been taken to Azkaban; therefore, I've come to rescue the Potter child,' Umbridge said.

'You should leave the castle before something nasty happens to you,' Pomfrey declared.

'Are you threatening me?' Umbridge asked.

'No, I'm warning you. The child acquired a whole new family, and you're just asking to be admitted to St Mungo's department with soft walls if you think you can take Harry from his parents,' Pomfrey explained.

'Snape…' Umbridge began.

'Isn't his only parent now. You should be careful,' Pomfrey interrupted the other witch. She turned to Kreacher and said, 'We should go to your charge's quarters.'

Kreacher wrapped Pomfrey in his magic and transported her and Draco to the Malfoys'.

Pomfrey told Lucius and Narcissa what Umbridge wanted to do.

'I'll go warn Fudge. He's an idiot, but he'll acknowledge that Umbridge has no legal grounds for what she's trying to do,' Malfoy declared.

'I'll stay around,' Pomfrey announced.

Malfoy bowed to thank her. He knew that Narcissa could fight, but a bit of backup was always good.

In the meantime, Umbridge had cast a Location spell and was walking towards Snape's quarters. She tampered with the wards on the door, walked in and… found herself face to face with Greenli.

'Where is the boy?' Umbridge demanded.

'With his mother,' Greenli answered.

Umbridge followed her spell to the door that led to Abby's lab. She opened the door and gasped when she saw Abby's lab. She took one step into the lab.

'You might want to take a badge,' Greenli told the witch.

Umbridge poked the badges by the door on the castle side with her wand; she made a face at the items she thought to be Muggle ones and walked into Abby's lab, wand at the ready.

Greenli, as instructed by Auror Rae, made the door invisible for Umbridge.

Since her Location spell no longer worked in NCIS, Umbridge cast it again, thus triggering one of Rae's silent alarms.

When the house-elves told Snape and Abby about Umbridge, they'd both retreated to NCIS with Harry. Rae – for the magical part of the plan, Gibbs and Ziva concocted a _welcome_ party for the Ministry witch.

Umbridge found her way from Abby's lab to the bullpen. She saw Snape and walked straight to him.

'I'm here for the child, Snape. Give it to me,' she ordered.

'Professor Snape's adoption is fully valid,' DiNozzo intervened from his desk.

'It cannot be,' Umbridge hissed.

'It is,' Ziva said from her desk.

'Several Aurors acknowledged that my link with Harry is fully legal. Minister Fudge signed papers to that effect,' Snape said calmly.

'I don't care. You're a Death Eater, and I won't allow you to take care of Harry Potter,' Umbridge said.

'Where were you when the baby was shipped to some horrible Muggles?' DiNozzo asked.

'Somewhere safe. Somewhere with a lot of papers that needed to be filled out,' Ziva said.

'Do you think?' DiNozzo asked his colleague.

'Of course, she's the kind of bully that acts only when she knows she can get away with it,' McGee spat.

DiNozzo nodded theatrically and said, 'You have a point, Tim.'

Umbridge aimed her wand at McGee and began to whisper a spell. She'd said two syllables when Ruby's spell hit her and made Umbridge's wand fall to the floor next to Gibbs's desk.

Gibbs had Umbridge in handcuffs two seconds before he yelled "Intruder".

The entire personnel in the bullpen reacted perfectly. The other teams offered to help, but Gibbs and Ruby took everything in their own hands.

'Boss, I'll have to stay with her. The procedure might take some time,' Ruby said.

'I know, Rae. Do what you must,' Gibbs said.

'Ruby?' Abby said as she took a step towards Umbridge.

'Do you want to have a word with her before I take her to Auror Headquarters?' Ruby asked.

'No… Well, yes, but I'd like to know if you're going to need her wand,' Abby said.

Ruby grinned evilly when she said, 'We can work on the pieces if need be, Abbs.'

Abby smiled and then turned to her fiancé. 'Sev, do you mind if I make my point with that toad?'

'Of course not. She needs to understand how the entire family works,' Snape said.

Abby picked up Umbridge's wand and forced the alien witch to turn around. Abby pushed the witch against a file cabinet, which made her yelp when the cuffs bit into her plump wrists.

'What did you plan to do with Harry?' Abby asked Umbridge.

The witch was so surprised that she blinked stupidly. Abby moved into her personal space and repeated the question.

'I… I guess I'll send him to a Wizarding orphanage. There's certainly enough money in the Potters' vaults to provide for the boy,' Umbridge said.

Ziva snorted and spat, 'She'd steal from the boy!'

Umbridge was about to protest, but Abby poked one angry finger on the witch's shoulder.

'Listen to me, idiot! I don't know what your problem is with Severus and Harry, but Harry adopted me. You'll never take him away from me,' Abby said.

'I'll do whatever I want!' Umbridge said.

'No way in hell,' Abby hissed too quietly. 'If you ever try to take my baby from me, I'll deal with you like this…'

Abby showed Umbridge her wand, and she slowly snapped it in two. Abby handed the pieces to Ruby.

Abby leant very close to Umbridge and murmured in the witch's ear, 'Come near my baby, and I'll have people _deal_ with you.'

'How dare you threaten me?!' Umbridge shouted.

'Threaten?' Abby repeated, pretending to be shocked.

Gibbs moved closer to Umbridge and said, 'I don't think it was a _threat_.'

'I was called here. Again,' Auror Milly said as he joined Gibbs's team.

'Sorry, Milly, but that foreign witch tried to attack an NCIS Muggle agent, and she found a way in illegally – apparently, she wanted to kidnap Harry,' Ruby explained.

'That poor kid really isn't lucky,' Milly said.

Abby and Snape growled at that.

'It would be wise to rephrase,' McGee suggested the Auror/policeman.

'The kid has a great family, but is a trouble-magnet,' Milly said.

'Isn't that the definition of our family?' DiNozzo asked rhetorically.

Abby chuckled at that.

'All right, we'll escort the witch to Auror Headquarters to be processed, and then we'll go to court,' Milly said.

'Good thing I still have that phial of Veritaserum,' Ruby said as she grabbed Umbridge.

'There will always be more where the first phial came from, Auror Rae,' Snape told her.

Milly whistled and asked, 'What do I have to do to get one?'

Seriously, Snape said, 'Give me what money is in your pocket.'

Milly looked at Ruby, who nodded fervently. Milly had the equivalent of 20 Sickles in his pocket, and he gave them to Snape.

'Greenli,' Snape called.

The house-elf arrived instantly.

'Bring Auror Milly a phial of Veritaserum,' Snape said.

'What colour?' Greenli asked.

Snape turned to Milly and tilted his head, waiting for an answer. Milly looked at Ruby, who nodded to confirm that he really could choose the colour of the phial he'd just bought for an infinitesimal fraction of its actual price.

'Erm… Green,' Milly said.

'Good colour,' Snape said.

'Slytherin,' DiNozzo whispered.

'Abby and Harry's eyes,' Ziva whispered back to him.

DiNozzo nodded.

Greenli was back almost instantly with an apple green phial that she gave Milly.

'Thank you,' Milly said, moved.

'Auror Rae's work is made simpler with a few drops of potion. I'm glad we could do the same for you,' Snape said.

'Disgusting!' Umbridge spat.

Ruby cast a silencing spell on the witch and handed the pieces of Umbridge's wand to Milly.

'What's going to happen to her?' Gibbs asked.

'It all depends on what she tells us under Veritaserum,' Ruby explained.

.

.

.

Director Vance turned the monitor off with the remote.

Harry was sitting on Vance's lap.

'Never forget what your Mum is willing to do to protect you,' Vance said.

'No, sir, I won't.'

Harry instinctively understood that breaking a wand in two was something big – very big.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	49. Chapter 49

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'We'll have to wait for one of your magical relatives to come open the door,' Vance said.

Harry nodded, but didn't say a word.

'You aren't afraid of me Harry, are you?' Vance asked softly.

Harry shrugged.

'I've got to be all tough with the grown-ups here because I'm the boss, Harry, but you're a _guest_. Do you know what it means?' Vance asked.

Harry shook his head.

'It means that I can do this,' Vance said, and he proceeded to tickle Harry.

The boy cried with laughter and ended up hugging his mother and uncle's boss.

'Much better, Sweetie,' Vance said gently. 'I'm not your boss. I want you to be able to come and see me as a friend of the family. I don't know your dad much yet, but I can see he's a good man, and I'm quite fond of your mummy.'

Harry grinned.

'So, Harry, do you promise that you'll no longer be afraid of me?' Vance asked. Harry nodded. 'My door will _always_ be open,' Vance insisted.

'Thank you, Director Vance,' Harry said with a bright smile.

'Call me Leon, Sweetie,' Vance said.

'I'm bunny, not sweetie,' Harry said.

'Your parents are calling you Bunny,' Vance said.

'Uncle Jethro does, too,' Harry said.

'I'm not your uncle, Harry,' Vance said, adding a wink for good measure.

'Why not?' Harry asked.

'Well, I'm not like the rest of your family,' Vance said.

'Mummy's a Muggle, too,' Harry said.

'Yes, but…' Vance said as he took Harry's British pale hand in his.

Harry blinked and finally said, 'You're nice, with or without magic, and it's not a problem if you tan too much.'

Vance caressed Harry's hair lovingly and said, 'You really don't see the difference, do you?'

Harry shook his head, puzzled.

'Never change, Harry,' Vance said. 'Hey, what do you think about adopting me as a cousin?'

Harry nodded several times.

When DiNozzo and Snape came to Vance's office to free them and escort Harry back to Hogwarts, the boy was sleeping in his brand new Cousin Leon's arms.

In soft whispers, Vance told them about his conversation with Harry.

DiNozzo and Snape were both forced to smile.

'I'll go back to Hogwarts with Bunny. I've left the Headmaster with a student in my lab,' Snape said. 'Thank you for protecting my son.'

'I truly hope that witch gets a good taste of what the Wizarding community on this side of the world calls justice,' Vance said as he gave the sleeping Harry to his dad.

Snape nodded. He was about to leave when something occurred to him.

'Does your wife know about magic?' Snape asked.

'She does,' Vance answered.

'I don't know what the Headmaster and the members of the Order plan to do to celebrate the real end of the war, but our _family_ should do something. Would you come to Hogwarts with your wife and children?' Snape asked.

'Next weekend sounds good. We've got to throw a party for our engagement, too,' Abby added as she walked in.

'I can't have my family walk through here to Scotland. Even with Rae's magic, that would raise suspicion,' Vance said.

'Not if I lend you the keys to my place and you go through there,' Abby declared.

That declaration settled everything; the Vances would have lunch at Hogwarts the next Saturday.

.

.

.

Snape was forced to smile when a platoon of house-elves welcomed him in his quarters; they all wanted to make sure that Umbridge had been dealt with and that Harry – and the entire family – was all right.

Snape put Harry in his bed and made sure that Greenli would look after her little master. Then, Snape went back to his lab, where Tonks was finishing a simple potion that Snape could use to brew a more complicated one. The Potions master inspected her cauldron and was quite satisfied.

'I'll help you with your extra training. Merlin knows we need good Aurors,' Snape said.

'Thank you, sir! Auror Moody doesn't think that being good at Potions can be useful, but I disagree with him,' Tonks said.

'Miss Tonks!' Dumbledore exclaimed.

'She has a point,' Snape said. 'And hopefully, I can teach this one to brew her own Veritaserum.'

'Would you?' Tonks asked, her hair turning pink with excitement.

'It is a very complicated potion,' Snape said.

'Please, sir!' Tonks said.

'That'll be a lot of baby-sitting, Miss Tonks,' Snape said, one corner of his mouth rising.

'That's not a problem, sir,' she said.

There was a knock on the lab door. Minister Fudge came in with Malfoy.

'Is everything all right, Professor Snape?' Fudge asked.

The Minister had never been fond of Snape, but what Malfoy had told him about Umbridge's behaviour had really shocked him.

'My son is safe; thank you, Minister. I can't say as much about your Assistant. She threatened Muggles and broke laws in a foreign country,' Snape declared quietly.

'Oh, my!' Fudge said. Then he realized what Snape had told him and asked, 'How could she break laws in a _foreign_ country?'

'The Four Founders have created a magical link between my quarters here and the city where my fiancée, Harry's mother, lives,' Snape explained.

Fudge blinked several times, and then he said something no one would ever have expected him to say, 'Your love must be deep to have allowed such unusual magic. Did you know that such a phenomenon was mentioned only in the legend of the Noble Knight Iùon and the Gentle Princess Imalla?'

Dumbledore did something very silly when he said, 'No, I didn't know.'

Fudge launched himself into a complicated story. Apparently, the Minister for Magic had a secret passion for medieval literature, and romantic history in particular.

Dumbledore managed to make Fudge flee when he offered tea.

Fudge and Tonks Floo'ed back to the Ministry together.

Snape sent Malfoy to Diagon Alley to buy the ingredients for the potion that Narcissa wanted to help her protect the baby Lucius and she wanted to have.

Dumbledore Floo'ed to the Burrow, the Weasleys' residence, to be informed of the progress of the latest information within the ranks of the Order.

Until dinner-time at Hogwarts, everything was quiet, which was rather astounding.

When Abby arrived, Narcissa told her how angry Pince had been with Dumbledore. Abby hopped by her desk to call Gibbs and advise him to go to the Hogwarts library as soon as possible.

Gibbs wanted to stand by his lover's side. He went to the library and found Pince casting Protection spells on books; the sound of her voice told him how angry and disappointed she was. That evening, Irma Pince was witchnapped to Washington, where she discovered what fun could be had in Gibbs's basement – and not sanding the damn boat.

The staff - and family of some sort – was gathering for dinner when Abby noticed that Remus was not with them. Snape rushed to Dumbledore's office; Remus was still working on Pettigrew's parchments. Snape had one of the house-elves bring the scrolls to Remus's new quarters, and he told his colleague that annoying the ladies by being late to dinner might not be the smartest move of the week. Remus followed Snape instantly.

They all had a nice dinner, and they started celebrating the true end of the war.

Their main thought was that the children, born and to come, wouldn't have to fight Voldemort and his minions.

Remus looked a bit sad.

'The Wolfsbane is going to make your life easier, and now that I can work on your problem, I hope to find a cure,' Snape said softly in Remus's ear.

'I grew up and went through puberty with that poison in my veins. Even if you find a way to make the beast go away, I'll never have children,' Remus said sadly.

Snape snorted.

'Of course, adoption, provided that I can do that, would be good,' Remus said.

'Of course, there's that, but when you have your own kids, you'll pardon me if I laugh and don't baby-sit,' Snape said.

'I can't… It's impossible, Severus,' Remus whispered.

'My potions can do _everything_. When it happens, you'll remember this evening,' Snape said.

'If it happens, you and Abby would be perfect godparents,' Remus said.

'Speaking of godparents, that reminds me of something completely different,' Abby said. She turned to the witches and asked, 'Could you tell me more about bonding ceremonies?'

Instead of growling, or blushing, or whatever, Snape summoned a bottle of ink, a quill and a piece of parchment to take down notes. Planning his Bonding with Abby was much more pleasant than talking about the war and/or the late Riddle.

Dumbledore never tried to come close to Abby's engagement ring, for which Ducky thanked him once they were in private.

The next day was quiet.

The day after that, Auror Ruby Rae came back to NCIS.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	50. Chapter 50

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'You look tired,' McGee said, sounding quite concerned.

'That Umbridge is a nasty piece of work,' the Auror answered.

'Is she going to be a threat?' Ziva inquired.

The young Auror shook her head.

'Abby's lab,' Gibbs ordered.

They all followed him there.

Gibbs was walking fast, but he slowed down abruptly, causing Rae and Ziva to collide with DiNozzo. McGee quite skilfully avoided colliding with his friends.

In fact, Gibbs had noticed that Pince hadn't gone back to Hogwarts yet; his witch was chatting with Abby. Gibbs was still somewhat surprised to feel such strong feelings for a woman who was so completely different from his late wife.

Abby and Pince looked towards the door, and both women noticed Auror Rae.

'What news, Ruby?' Abby inquired.

'Harry is still under the protection of the spell that I cast with my Auror colleagues, but after what Umbridge told us, we strengthened it, and we included a Protection spell for your family and closest colleagues,' Rae said.

'What was the exact ruling?' Abby asked.

'She had to pay a fine for attacking Tim; an entire squad strengthened the Protection spell, for which she will be charged; she'll be charged as well for the additional protection that the judge felt necessary; she's forbidden to come to the US until Harry comes of age – magically speaking, and the judge has sent Auror Milly to escort Assistant Umbridge back to the UK Ministry of Magic. Milly will release her only to her employer,' Rae said.

They were all silent for a few seconds, taking it all in.

'A fine?' McGee said.

'Yes, and a part of that will be sent to you. You'll receive a registered Muggle mail in a few days,' Rae explained.

'That's… whoa,' McGee said.

'Can Severus sue her or something?' Ziva asked.

'He could, but we hope that the full account of Umbridge's trial will encourage her local Minister for Magic to take measures,' Rae said.

'Ruby, can I read the transcript? You've got transcripts, right?' Abby asked.

'We have them on parchments, but yes, we have transcripts, and yes, I can make you a copy,' Rae answered.

Rae took her wand from its sheath, cast a spell and made Abby a copy of everything that was said in Umbridge's trial.

'I don't want to get you in trouble for giving me this,' Abby said with the parchment in her hand.

Rae smiled widely and said, 'It's your right to have access to it.'

'Why?' Abby asked.

'Well, the fact that a Wizarding orphan considers you his mother is one thing, but the moment you agreed to bond with Harry's legal guardian, you became Harry's guardian, too – at least for us, I don't know how that works in the UK,' Rae explained.

'I remember that,' DiNozzo said with a dreamy voice.

'DiNozzo?' Gibbs said.

'Yea, Boss?' the young agent asked.

Gibbs glared.

'Well, I remember my grandmother warning me that when you propose to someone, if the answer is yes, you're as good as married according to the local laws,' DiNozzo explained.

'And it works when a Muggle is involved, too,' Abby stated.

Gibbs blinked – that was an interesting piece of information.

Rae yawned fiercely then.

'You must be tired,' McGee said, clearly concerned.

'I'll go order what Gibbs usually drinks. I've had cases that were much longer,' Rae said.

'A few drops of Pepper-up?' Abby said.

Rae nodded, and Abby lent her her own phial of potion.

'Thanks a lot! Coffee on top of that, and I'll be good for the day,' Rae said as she gave Abby the phial back.

'McGee, bring our dear Auror a cup of coffee,' Gibbs said.

The suggestion sounded like an order, and McGee obeyed instantly.

'DiNozzo, escort Rae back to her desk,' Gibbs said.

DiNozzo and Rae left the lab.

Gibbs kissed Abby's brow. Her bright smile told him that she was fine.

'You can go plan stuff with Ziva, Gibbs. Since it's so quiet, I'll read what the evil witch said,' Abby said.

Gibbs grinned and nodded.

Ziva and Gibbs went to the elevator to talk quietly.

'What do you think?' Gibbs asked his team-mate.

'I think she needs to be convinced that Harry and Severus are off limits,' Ziva said.

Gibbs nodded. 'We can't involve Severus,' he added.

'But we'll need magic to reach her once we're in Hogwarts,' she said.

'She should still be wandless, but perhaps she'll have time to buy a new wand,' he pointed out.

'I think she's the kind of witch who needs to focus her spells through a wand, and I think she's quite vain,' Ziva declared.

Gibbs nodded again. 'I could ask Irma if she'd help us,' he said.

'Minerva would make a better choice,' she countered him.

'Why?' His voice indicated curiosity, not irritation.

'She's a… What's the name again? Well, she can turn herself into a cat. It could be useful,' she explained.

'Irma told me about that, but I forgot the name, too. Do you think she'd agree to come help us?' he inquired.

'She's a tough cake, and she's quite fond of Harry, and Severus, and Abby, and all of us in fact,' she said.

Gibbs smiled and said, 'Cookie.'

'I've had breakfast with Tony, thank you,' she said.

'_Tough cookie_, Ziva,' Gibbs said.

'But a tough cake would cause more damage,' she pointed out.

'Let's stick to conventional weapons, shall we?' he said.

Ziva shrugged.

'Would you ask Minerva if she'll help us?' Gibbs asked.

'I'll hop by Hogwarts as soon as I have a break. With school starting next week, I'm sure to find her in her office,' Ziva said.

Gibbs turned the elevator back on.

.

.

.

In the meantime, Snape was contacted by Kingsley Shacklebolt, who Floo'ed to the Potions master's office.

'Arthur suggested that I come see you,' Shacklebolt said.

'Why is that?' Snape asked quietly.

'An American Auror escorted former-Assistant Umbridge to the Ministry, and he's told the minister everything that she'd done and intended to do. Minister Fudge has told her that he was accepting her resignation, and he's having an Unspeakable check her past actions in the Ministry,' Shacklebolt explained.

Snape smirked.

'Arthur has been named to replace her, and he fears that she might try to retaliate,' Shacklebolt said.

'She might,' Snape said quietly – too quietly.

'Professor Snape?' Shacklebolt was lost.

'I have done something to protect my fiancée, our son is surrounded with house-elves who would kill for him, and I can take care of myself… and there's one thing that Umbridge is forgetting if she thinks that it'd be wise to threaten my family. Abigail already broke her wand, but we have friends who could be even more direct,' Snape said.

Shacklebolt blinked, said "oh" and bid Snape good day, admonishing him to be careful.

Snape had to admit that it was rather nice to deal with people who didn't want to bug him; Shacklebolt was a decent man, and Weasley would make a great ministerial assistant – and with the horde of children he'd fathered, he could probably do with a raise!

Snape was no seer, but he had the odd feeling that Umbridge would be dealt with for good very soon – one way or the other. His instincts had allowed him to survive when he'd spied on the Dark Lord; he was convinced that he was right.

.

.

.

Ziva went to see McGonagall, and the witch said that she'd go with Gibbs and her have a little chat with Umbridge. As soon as she'd found Umbridge's address, she'd go fetch them at NCIS.

The bullpen was very quiet when a tabby cat with a Wizarding visitor's badge around her neck jumped on Ziva's desk.

Gibbs and Ziva followed the cat – down to Abby's lab, to Hogwarts, then down to the staff room.

There, the cat stood inside the fireplace. Gibbs and Ziva followed McGonagall, who, with some strange magic, activated the Floo while in her Animagus form.

They arrived into Umbridge's parlour just a few seconds before the annoying witch arrived home, defeated and humiliated.

Gibbs coldly told her what he'd do to her if she tried anything against the Snapes, and it scared the witch.

Ziva demonstrated on a cushion what she could do with a knife, and by then, Umbridge was terrified.

'Did we make ourselves clear?' Gibbs asked calmly.

Umbridge nodded.

The cat trotted back to the fireplace, the agents joined her, and she sent them back to Hogwarts.

In the staff room, Professor Flitwick was more than surprised to see Muggles travelling alone through the Floo. However, there was someone who was even more surprised, it was McGonagall.

'How can you be here? We've just left London with you!' Ziva exclaimed.

'I haven't moved from here. I haven't found Umbridge's address yet,' McGonagall said.

'Then who's the cat-witch who took us to Umbridge?' Gibbs asked.

Flitwick cast a spell on the fireplace and identified the magic of the other Animagus.

The cat in Umbridge's parlour took her human form again.

If Gibbs and Ziva had terrified her, that was nothing compared with what she felt when she recognized the uniform of the witch in front of her.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	51. Chapter 51

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'You can't hurt me!' Umbridge told the Unspeakable in her parlour.

'Don't be afraid, Dolores, I'm here to save you,' the witch said.

'Save me?'

'Of course, we don't want to be forced to send you to Azkaban or to kill you, Dolores. One of our colleagues was present during your trial. We know you were planning to separate an orphan from his legal guardian because you're bigoted and power-crazed,' the Unspeakable said.

'I'm not!' Umbridge protested.

'Dolores, Dolores, Dolores. An American Unspeakable has given us a full account of what you were planning to do to Harry if given the opportunity. You would have sold him to Voldemort if he'd been the one with the best offer,' the Unspeakable said.

Umbridge had the decency to pale a bit.

'One of us works at the Department of Probable Future Events, and if we don't stop you today, Dolores… Dolores, we'll have to kill you soon. But we won't kill you, Dolores. No… We have better plans,' the Unspeakable said.

Umbridge didn't have time to react, and the Unspeakable cast two spells. The first was a tailored Memory charm, and the second was to generate a mild agoraphobia. From now on, Umbridge would wish to remain in the safety of her home, except for very short outings, and she'd be very happy about her life.

While Umbridge was still dizzy from the Memory charm, the other witch checked that both spells were working, and then she Floo'ed back to her Department. Umbridge was no longer a threat.

'I'll Fire-call our contact,' the Unspeakable told her boss.

'Do that. He'll be happy to hear that he won't have to look out for that lunatic in his district,' the Unspeakable-in-chief witch pointed out.

Her colleague called Washington, thanks to a special Fire-connection and… Auror Milly was delighted to hear that he wouldn't get extra work protecting the NCIS agents and their Wizarding friends; it was already tough enough to be openly a police officer and Auror, and he didn't fancy having to do extra hours being an Unspeakable.

The British Unspeakables would keep an eye on Umbridge, but they knew that she was one less problem on their lists of duty.

.

.

.

In the Hogwarts staff room, Flitwick was explaining to Gibbs and Ziva what the spell he'd discovered meant, and what Unspeakables were exactly.

Gibbs and Ziva traded looks; they knew that Umbridge would no longer be heard from.

In her lab, Abby was fuming as she read the transcripts of the trial; she was about to go back to Hogwarts to ask her fiancé to turn Umbridge into some nasty potions' ingredients, when she got an e-mail. The subject line read "Umbridge"; therefore, she opened it.

Instead of getting a normal message, she got a video window.

'Sorry to disturb you, Agent Sciuto, but my department thought you'd like to know that Umbridge has been dealt with, magically speaking,' a young wizard said.

'What?' was all Abby said because she was too surprised.

'You have friends, Agent Sciuto, and your family is safe from that witch. We just wanted you not to worry,' the wizard said.

'She was planning to…' Abby said, pointing at the parchment Rae had given her.

'We know, Agent Sciuto, and a special Division in the UK has taken care of everything. You're safe, and you can plan your Bonding in peace,' he said.

'Oh… Thank you,' she said.

'A thousand blessings, and centuries of happiness,' the wizard said with a bright smile.

'Aw, bless you!' she cooed, which made him blush.

'Have a good day,' he said.

'You, too,' she answered.

He broke the connection.

Abby tried to trace back the link, but she could find nothing. She decided to try something mad and odd; she sent an e-mail to 000.000at00.00 that read "Thank you!" and within a minute, she got an improbable "You're welcome" back.

She was grinning when Gibbs and Ziva came back.

'Everything's okay,' Abby stated.

'How do you know?' Ziva inquired.

'I've been contacted by a kind of super-Auror,' Abby explained.

Gibbs and Ziva told her about the Unspeakable who'd helped them, and Abby told them about the video connection.

'That's one thing crossed off our "to fight" list. What's the next catastrophe going to be?' Gibbs inquired.

'Well, the Hogwarts students will arrive next week. That should do it, no?' Abby joked.

Gibbs smiled.

'Don't you have a few things to plan with Severus?' Ziva asked.

'Have you picked a date?' Gibbs inquired.

'Sev said it'd be powerful to bond on Halloween, but that was when Lily and James were killed,' Abby said.

'Don't tell me he's still carrying a candle for Lily!' Ziva growled.

Gibbs and Abby let the candle remark go, and Abby explained, 'No, but we don't want Harry to be caught between the anniversary of the deaths of his birth parents and our Bonding anniversary. When he's eight or ten, that'd be too much.'

'You're going to do it in October,' Gibbs stated.

Abby nodded several times.

'We're trying to combine our schedules. He's got potions to brew – especially Remus's Wolfsbane – and students to take care of; I think we'll choose the second Saturday,' she said.

'Is there something that you'd like?' Ziva asked.

Abby hugged her friend and said, 'I just want you to be here. You're family, Ziva.'

'Second Saturday?' Gibbs asked.

Abby nodded.

'I'll go see Leon,' he said.

'Tell Cousin Leon that we expect him and his family to be there. The exchange of vows will take place in the Great Hall, and Greenli and her friends have already said that they hope we'll bring them an army of guests to feed,' Abby said.

Gibbs hugged his little Abby. Severus was his younger brother by choice, now; but from the moment he'd met her, Abby had been his baby sister – and now she was getting married.

Gibbs went to see Vance, but it turned out that Cousin Cecily, the seer, had already informed Vance of the day of Abby and Severus's Bonding. The day was already marked off for Gibbs's team.

Meanwhile, Ziva and Abby were talking about desserts.

'Did the elves make the raspberry mousse for you?' Ziva asked.

Abby nodded, and then she realized something. 'How do you know?' she asked.

'Well, I'm helping Minerva with Tony. He's got a hard time focussing long enough to cast the more complicated spells. We detoured by the kitchen yesterday,' Ziva said.

'Last night,' Abby corrected her.

Ziva blushed.

'I know because one of Greenli's friends has made it, and she brought us some very late,' Abby explained. 'I had to convince Sev that it wasn't a sin to eat something sweet so late,' she added.

Ziva smiled.

'What?' Abby asked.

'That was my reaction. Tony had to convince me,' Ziva said.

Abby spotted something in her friend's reaction that prompted her to ask, 'How did he do that?'

Blushing deeply, Ziva murmured, 'He kissed me.'

Abby grinned. 'Do you have files waiting for you at your desk?' she asked.

'No,' Ziva answered.

'Good. Sit down somewhere, while I take care of my files, and do tell me everything!' Abby said.

Ziva smiled. She did just that; she was very happy to have a friend with whom to share her story.

.

.

.

In spite of Gibbs's fears or predictions, the next catastrophe didn't happen the same day.

No.

The Vances came for lunch, and _Cousin_ Leon's daughter and son adopted little Harry on the spot. Mrs Vance helped the young couple with a few excellent suggestions for their bonding, and everything was just fine.

All the other couples were having great fun separately.

There was a funny episode that famous weekend, something that proved decisive in the next oddity in the lives of the Hogwarts-NCIS pack.

Mr Palmer had volunteered to stay with Mrs Mallard again; in fact, the young man was homesick, and Ducky's mother was providing him with a lot of love and affection.

They'd started playing dominos, and both were developing an addiction, which resulted in Mr Palmer spending more time at the Mallards' than at his own place.

With just three days before the students were expected to arrive, the Hogwarts teachers were working like feverish bees.

One was particularly excited: Remus Lupin. His lessons were ready – and he was quite grateful to Snape for that, but he was a bit nervous about teaching. This was the beginning of a new life, and he wanted that new opportunity; most of all, he didn't want to be the werewolf pariah.

Besides working on his schedule, Remus was working on the Pettigrew mystery. He was still unable to separate the spells that had been cast on Pettigrew from those that Peter, himself, had cast. Remus felt that he had to find out why that was; otherwise, he might not be good enough to be the new Defence teacher.

That evening, he discovered why he hadn't been able to separate the spells cast on the _late_ Peter Pettigrew. As he was checking the twentieth scroll of parchment of fifty-two, parchment number fifty-three appeared on his desk, which meant that spells were still being cast.

Remus read its contents and immediately understood that his friend Peter had framed Sirius Black. He had to find Dumbledore as fast as possible.

Remus made a magical copy of the latest parchment, called a house-elf and asked him to guard all the scrolls. Then, Remus went to Dumbledore's office, but he wasn't there, nor was he in his private quarters.

After sharing his conclusions with Snape and Abby, Remus tried NCIS, but Ducky had gone home. Remus explained the situation to Rae, and she guided him to Apparate to the Mallards'. There, Jimmy Palmer told them that Ducky and Dumbledore had been called to the UK by a red-haired man. Remus concluded that it had to be Arthur Weasley.

Rae understood that it was important to share the latest news about Pettigrew with Dumbledore; she allowed Remus to spell a Portkey to the Burrow.

Trans-Atlantic Portkeying was quite a bumpy ride, and Remus landed on his buttocks in the Weasleys' kitchen. Only the older children were still up, which was a good thing, because Remus instantly took his wand and started casting spell after spell.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)

PS: I now have an RSS feed on my website… Enjoy!


	52. Chapter 52

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Remus caused a lot of commotion, so much that he woke up the Weasleys' youngest son, Ronald. The boy, who was approximately Harry's age, was wondering why a stranger was trying to hex his brother Percy's rat.

When Remus had arrived at the Burrow, he'd instantly recognized Pettigrew's Animagus form munching crumbs on the table. He knew that he had to petrify his former friend with a spell if he wanted Sirius Black to be exonerated before the next millennium.

However, Pettigrew knew that his cover was blown, and he was trying to escape.

Pettigrew, much to Arthur and Molly's surprise, was transforming back into his human form, in order to be able to cast spells, and not just dodge them, when a spell froze him mid-transformation. Pettigrew landed on the floor with the body of a rat and the head of a human.

'Merlin! Call the Ministry, Molly!' Arthur exclaimed as he strengthened the spell.

'Sure aim,' Remus praised Arthur.

'Not my spell; I thought it was yours,' Arthur said.

The adults and eldest Weasley sons traded looks, but no one had stopped Pettigrew.

Ron started crying.

'What's wrong?' his brother Bill inquired.

'My fingers burn,' the boy said.

Remus cast a quick spell on the youngest son and said, 'Congratulations, he's a wizard!'

Molly was ecstatic that her baby had showed signs of magic.

Arthur thought that his Ronald was a hero.

Ron looked on the verge of tears; Remus walked to the boy and rubbed his fingers.

'Oops!' Remus said.

'What?' Molly and Arthur asked worriedly.

'The last bit of the spell was still in his fingers. I thought… I didn't know he still had a part of the spell in him. I'm sorry,' Remus apologized.

'You'll be a fantastic godfather for Ron,' Arthur said.

Molly nodded fervently, and then said, 'Boys, go to bed now.'

Bill, Charlie and Ron obeyed. Molly followed them to make sure that they went straight to their beds.

Remus looked really pale, which prompted Arthur to say, 'I'm happy that you're Ron's godfather.'

Remus shrugged.

'We won't expect you to be too active in Ron's education, except at Hogwarts,' Arthur said.

Remus still looked embarrassed, and he didn't react to his friend's joke. He thought that it might be better to come clean while Molly was away, and Remus explained, 'I'm afraid that Severus isn't going to be too thrilled that I've just managed to create a link between his son and yours.'

Arthur sighed and asked, 'What happened? Tell me the truth, please.'

'Molly and Alastor tried to take Harry from Severus. They were stopped by American Aurors, but Severus and Abby are wary of your wife,' Remus said softly.

Arthur sighed again. 'That's why Abby was strange when I met her. That happened a few weeks ago, right?' he asked.

Remus nodded.

'I noticed that there was something strange about Molly, but I didn't know what was wrong. I wouldn't have let her take Harry. The boy has found a great new family,' Arthur said.

'Once Peter is on his way to the Ministry, I'll go tell Severus what happened with Ronald,' Remus declared.

The Floo Network activated, and Shacklebolt arrived at the Burrow. 'Merlin!' he gasped when he recognized Pettigrew.

'We should have someone leak the information to the press, or certain people at the Ministry might be tempted to cover this up,' Arthur suggested.

'I'll hop to the Leaky Cauldron, just to mention that Peter Pettigrew is alive and on his way to a ministerial cell,' Shacklebolt said.

He Disapparated just before Moody arrived.

Moody looked at the half-transformed Animagus, then at Remus and growled, 'Why did you never mention that he can transform into a rat?'

'Of what are you accusing Professor Lupin?' Arthur snapped at Moody.

The Auror glared.

'I think Professor Lupin was mourning his closest friends when the Ministry arrested an innocent wizard and shipped him to Azkaban without full proof and without an actual confession,' Arthur added, driving the nail further in.

Moody was about to growl something when Molly came back and said, 'There, there, Alastor. Now is a time to do something good and bring the true culprit to justice.'

'And to help free an innocent who's been kept in jail for almost three years,' Arthur added.

Moody growled, but he knew that they were right. He collected Pettigrew in his odd form and went to the Ministry, where the flash of a _Daily Prophet_ photographer caught him as he exited the fireplace.

Moody was about to run after that man, but Shacklebolt stepped out of the shadows and stopped him.

'What?!' Moody growled.

'Pettigrew has managed to escape us since he betrayed the Potters. We need to make sure that he's not going to escape trial again… and we must help free Black. He was a fool, but he's innocent in the Potters' betrayal,' Shacklebolt declared.

This time, Moody just groaned.

Pettigrew was fighting against the spells, and Moody realized that the illegal Animagus had to be placed in a high-security cell as fast as possible, which he did with Shacklebolt's help.

Once he was sure that Pettigrew wouldn't escape, Shacklebolt Fire-called the burrow to tell the Weasleys and Remus what happened.

Remus looked really shaken.

'Would you like something to drink?' Arthur asked his unexpected guest.

'Severus has forbidden me to drink, but thank you… and I must find Albus. I came here because I thought you'd called him,' Remus said.

'I wanted to keep him informed of the changes at the Ministry. We agreed to meet tomorrow, and he went back to his quarters with Ducky,' Arthur said.

'I was planning to tell him that Peter wasn't dead. I never imagined that I'd have to go and tell him that Peter's in custody,' Remus said.

'I'll do it, and you can go see Severus,' Arthur said.

'Why? He'll read about the arrest in the paper tomorrow,' Molly said.

'I must tell him that Sirius might be freed very soon, and that I have a second godchild,' Remus explained.

'Sirius will be able to rescue Harry now,' Molly declared.

Remus turned towards Arthur and said, as he pointed at Molly, 'Do something about that, or she'll have big problems with Abby.'

Before Arthur or Molly could say anything, Remus Disapparated to Hogsmeade. He felt that he had to warn Snape and Abby as fast as possible. He ran to the Three Broomsticks.

'What's wrong?' Rosmerta asked worriedly when she saw him looking so pale and distraught.

'Peter wasn't killed. There's going to be a trial, and Molly thinks that Sirius would make a wonderful guardian for Harry,' he explained.

'She's going to get herself killed… or diced,' Rosmerta said, shaking her head. 'Take the Floo and go see Severus. Who knows, he might have a potion against stupidity.'

Remus was about to leave, but Rosmerta's suggestion gave him an idea and he pecked her cheek.

Remus Floo'ed directly into Snape's quarters. Abby was on Snape's lap, and when she saw Remus's look, she knew that something big was going on.

'Short version, Remus,' she ordered.

'A brand new parchment with more spells on Peter appeared on my desk. As I was hunting for Albus to tell him that, I ended up at the Weasleys'. Peter was in his Animagus form on the table, and Ron, the youngest son, cast his first spell on Peter. First odd piece of news, I was holding Ron's hands when he finished casting the spell, so I'm his godfather, and I'm really sorry, Severus,' Remus said.

Snape opened his mouth to say something, but Abby spoke first, 'We trust you, Remus. I'll work with you on that low self-esteem problem; now tell us what's really bothering you.'

'Peter is at the Ministry, and the information was leaked to the press. Sirius can be kept in his mansion until he recovers, but Molly said that he'd make a good guardian for Harry. Arthur disagrees. Maybe there's a potion that could be given to Molly… to keep her quiet. Rosmerta suggested a potion against stupidity, but I don't think that exists,' Remus said.

Snape was silent.

'I'm very sorry,' Remus apologized.

Snape stood up with his fiancée still in his arms, and then he put her on the sofa; he took two steps to Remus and put his hands on his colleague's shoulders and said, 'You're going to be a good godfather to our son and to Ron. In fact, if you can't have two godsons, you should probably resign before the _Huns_ arrive.'

Remus smiled at that.

'Now you're going to have your first Abigail lesson with my fiancée, and I'll go confront Mrs Weasley,' Snape said.

He piloted Remus to the sofa, gently pushed him down and walked to the fireplace.

When Snape arrived at the Burrow, Arthur and Molly were arguing, and Arthur was telling his wife what he thought of her reaction.

'I'm sorry to intrude,' Snape said, but clearly, he didn't mean it.

'Remus told you,' Arthur said simply.

'Severus, you'll have to let Harry go live with Sirius when he's freed,' Molly said.

'You do realize that Black might not be fit, physically and mentally, to take care of a child,' Snape pointed out quietly.

'But he might be,' Molly said stubbornly.

'Let's imagine that he is, which is highly unlikely, as any decent Healer would tell you. Would you traumatize Harry? He's transferred his love to me and to Abigail. He doesn't want to, or maybe cannot, remember that Lily and James are dead. We're not planning to lie to him, but Ducky said that Harry will need a few months to recover from the abuse, and only then will he be ready to hear stories about his birth parents,' Snape said.

'Harry must be told everything about James and Lily,' Molly said.

'Yes, and we will tell him everything. What I want to know is if you would risk Harry's well-being and sanity,' Snape said.

'I don't think that it would hurt him,' Molly said.

'I didn't know you have a degree in psychology,' Snape snorted.

'Molly! I've seen the boy. He's happy with Severus and Abigail,' Arthur intervened.

'It's Abby, Mr Weasley. Severus and Ducky are the only two who use my full name,' Abby said. 'I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I've shipped Remus to Dumbledore, and Greenli escorted me here. House-elf magic; now, that's quite something.'

Molly gasped because her baby girl was fast asleep in Abby's arms.

'Don't hurt my baby!' Molly begged.

'I'm nothing like you,' Abby said as she relinquished Ginevra to Arthur.

Abby walked to Molly and slapped her. 'That's for thinking that I'd hurt a baby!'

Molly put her hand on her cheek and blinked, but she did nothing and said nothing.

'I would never hurt your daughter Molly. Ever,' Abby said. 'However, if you do anything to try to take my son from me, and if you were to succeed… Honey, I'll take your daughter – and believe me, I _know_ what she means for a Matriarch, but I swear to God that if you take my baby from me, I'll take yours. Clear?'

Molly squeaked. She squeaked, but she nodded.

'Let's go home, Sev,' Abby said.

'I think you have made our point clear, Dearest,' Snape said. 'Greenli!'

Their house-elf brought them back inside Hogwarts with her magic.

'They're good parents,' Arthur told his wife as he went to put their youngest child back in her bed.

'They truly care for Harry,' Molly said.

'At last!' Arthur exclaimed. 'I was afraid that your brain had entirely turned into stone. Now promise that you'll stop bugging them.'

Molly nodded.

'And Molly… Sirius might well have lost his mind in Azkaban, and Lily's protection was transferred to Severus. Get used to it. Severus could use magic if you try anything, but his betrothed is a fierce lady. She's a Muggle, but she's faced Death Eaters, a werewolf and an acromantula, and she'd broken three wands already. If you threaten her son, she'll retaliate,' Arthur said.

Molly blinked.

'I don't fancy finding myself a widower,' Arthur added, before turning around and leaving his wife in their dining-room.

Something in Molly made her start thinking that Dumbledore wouldn't have allowed Snape to keep Harry if it weren't the best solution for the boy.

When Arthur came back, she asked him, 'Do you think Sirius is going to need help?'

Arthur refrained from groaning. He vowed to enlist – right after breakfast the next morning – the twins, Fred and George, to keep their mother on her toes. That might not have been the best idea of the decade… but it would work.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	53. Chapter 53

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Once they were back in Hogwarts, Snape went to see how things were going in Dumbledore's office, while Abby went to watch their son sleep.

Snape came back after just a few minutes. Abby was in the rocking-chair in Harry's room, when she saw her fiancé on the threshold. After another look at their son, she joined him in their parlour, and they resumed their previous positions on the sofa.

'You came back fast,' Abby declared.

'Lupin was heading for the kitchen to ask the house-elves for a tub of chamomile tea. Ducky borrowed your keys to go back to Washington; he was planning to call a taxi to go back home,' Snape said.

'Why didn't he stay for the night?' Abby wondered.

'Dumbledore went to see Minister Fudge to help Black,' he explained.

Abby hissed and said, 'I know someone who's going to be sleeping in the dog-house.'

'If he's lucky,' Snape said.

Abby chuckled. 'I'll have a word with Gibbs. I bet he can explain to Albus why he's got to delegate and prioritize if he wants to be with Ducky,' she said.

'And if he doesn't want to have Ducky's friends after his hide for not taking good care of his boyfriend,' he added.

Abby nodded fervently.

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The next day, Gibbs cornered Dumbledore and made it clear that it was in his own best interest to take better care of Ducky.

Weasley and Shacklebolt were put in charge of Black's rescue.

Dumbledore spelled a whole greenhouse-worth of roses into Ducky's lab and into his house, too. Palmer sneezed for hours, and Mrs Mallard thought the flowers were for her, but Ducky forgave his lover for having been somewhat callous.

Arthur Weasley Floo'ed to the Hogwarts staff room the day before school was to start again. The Headmaster and the entire staff were present; Weasley wanted to tell them that the Minister for Magic was planning a much-advertised trial for Pettigrew – something that would allow them to free Black discreetly.

'Why isn't Sirius in St Mungo's already?' Pomfrey asked.

Weasley flinched.

Snape came to the only logical conclusion and said, 'The Minister wants to be sure that Black isn't going to sue later. Did they send Moody?'

Weasley flinched again when they all looked at him, waiting for his answer. He took a deep breath and said, 'Sirius is no longer in a cell, but he's still in Azkaban. Alastor will take Sirius to a better environment only when he's coherent enough to sign an agreement.'

'Disgusting,' Pince spat.

'Yes, but they could have sent Unspeakables,' Snape said.

'Or fed him to Dementors by _accident_,' McGonagall added.

Snape nodded in agreement; most of the others were too horrified to say anything.

'Let's be practical about this; can't Moody force Sirius to sign whatever parchment the Ministry demands? He should be given proper treatment as soon as possible,' Pomfrey said.

'I think Kingsley is going to pay them a visit if Alastor isn't back to London with Sirius tonight,' Weasley answered.

'Remus, perhaps you could Apparate there and help Sirius,' Dumbledore suggested.

'I'm afraid that I can't, Headmaster,' Remus said. His voice was too quiet, as if he were fighting with himself not to yell at Dumbledore.

'But…' Dumbledore began to say.

Remus interrupted him, 'I'm very sorry, Headmaster, but had James and Sirius been less foolish, Lily would still be alive. Sirius has to blame himself for everything that happened to Lily, to James, and even to himself. Besides, I now have duties here; I have a few things to finish for my very first classes ever, and I promised Harry that I'd be his horse while Severus works on a potion.'

'Sirius is your friend!' Dumbledore protested.

'Is he? Peter was more important, more reliable than I could ever be, if I am to judge their choices,' Remus growled. 'Severus keeps barking at me, but he's been kinder than any of my so-called friends. I'm staying here. _I_ will not fail Harry.'

Dumbledore was quite surprised.

Snape was so amazed that he blinked a few times.

'I'll go back to the Ministry, and I'll try to convince Kingsley to go help Sirius straight away,' Weasley said.

He Floo'ed back to the Ministry, and the staff finished their meeting.

Snape and Remus went down the dungeons together.

'I'm surprised,' Snape admitted when they'd reached a corridor where there were no portraits.

'You shouldn't be, Severus. I was a terrified child when we met, but I'm an adult now. You're the only one who really protected Harry, and there are no words to say how grateful I am,' Remus explained.

'I was completely selfish in rescuing Harry,' Snape said.

'You would never have made Peter a Secret Keeper,' Remus added.

Snape snorted. 'It's a tragedy Riddle never told any of us that he'd converted the rat, or I could have tried to do something,' he said.

'I know that things must have been meant to happen that way, but… it sucks,' Remus said.

Snape remained silent.

'What's on your mind?' Remus inquired.

'I have a family, and I'm happy today because Pettigrew was a coward and a traitor,' Snape said.

Remus nodded a few times and said, 'I understand.'

'I was really surprised by what you said,' Snape admitted.

Remus chuckled and said, 'Well, you really growl, snap and bark at me, but you're direct and sincere.'

Snape blinked again.

'I'll see you at tea time,' Remus said.

'You can come before that if you want company, or if you need help with anything,' Snape said.

'It's your last quiet day with your Bunny; I don't want to intrude,' Remus said.

'Don't be daft, you're family,' Snape growled.

Remus smiled, while Snape blinked furiously and shook his head – he was sounding more and more like Abby, and even his intonations were different now.

'If it's any consolation, your betrothed sounds like you from time to time,' Remus said.

'It's as if she were in my head,' Snape explained, astounded.

'I hear that that is what happens when you're really in love,' Remus said with a small smile.

Snape didn't bark this time; he smiled back.

'Well, if you don't want to be alone, our door is open,' Snape said.

Remus reflected that the Head of Slytherin would tell only the truth. He went to his quarters to get a few parchments, and he invaded Snape's parlour.

Greenli was baby-sitting Harry; therefore, Snape was brewing the Wolfsbane that would allow Remus to keep his human mind while transformed into a werewolf during the impending next full moon.

When Snape walked into his parlour at tea time, he found Remus trying out his introduction lesson for the first-years on Harry and Greenli. After tea, Snape and Greenli gave Remus a tip or two, and Harry was smiling widely when he said that Uncle Remus's class sounded interesting – nearly as interesting as his daddy's class.

Greenli escorted Harry to his bed for a quick nap.

'He'll make a splendid Potions master,' Remus told Snape.

Snape blinked again, smiled and said in conspiratorial tones, 'Abigail has made a bet that Bunny will become a Mediwizard. She might be right.'

'You're betting with your other half?' Remus squeaked.

'I know. That's pure madness, but where would be the fun without a bit of spice in life?' he asked rhetorically.

'It's your funeral, mate… and I don't even want to imagine what the lady bet!' Remus declared.

Snape smiled at that. He looked at Remus strangely and said, 'You know, it's rather nice to have a fellow my own age here.'

Remus beamed.

'Now, eat another scone,' Snape ordered.

'Why?!' Remus protested.

'Because I don't want my wife to get a paper cut the next time she hugs you,' Snape deadpanned.

Much to his embarrassment, Remus cooed when Snape referred to Abby as his "wife", and Snape blushed when he realized what he'd said.

'For Merlin's sake, Master Snape, don't look so silly. The word will apply in a few weeks, and Professor Snape and Mistress Abigail already feel linked without any official paper to say so,' Greenli intervened as she trotted back into the parlour.

'Isn't it bad luck?' Snape inquired.

Greenli smiled warmly and shook her head. 'Do you know what it means?' she asked.

Snape shook his head.

'It shows that you've already formed a natural bond – and a magical one, I must add. _That_ is more important than any ceremony will ever be,' she explained.

Snape smiled.

The NCIS agents, who were now going to Hogwarts after work, found Snape and Remus chatting civilly when they arrived. Ducky went to Dumbledore's office; Ziva was with DiNozzo to help McGonagall give him another lesson before she had to concentrate on her Gryffindors, and Gibbs went to see Pince in her quarters.

Abby sat next to her fiancé; she was more than delighted to see him open up to Remus.

.

.

.

The next morning, Snape woke up with a start. The _Huns_, a.k.a. the Hogwarts students, would arrive in the early evening.

The teachers were allowed to live with their partners at Hogwarts, but it was unusual to have non-staff people in the Great Hall at meal times when students were there. Dumbledore had suggested changing the tradition, but since Pince was still mad at her boss, Gibbs had declined; Ducky didn't fancy spending his dinner among the students if he couldn't be at the High table, and Abby was planning to read a story to Harry.

Snape was planning to introduce his Muggle fiancée to his Slytherins after the Sorting and the subsequent Feast; he would tell them about their son then, and introduce the boy in the morning.

Snape hoped that Pureblood propaganda hadn't caused too much damage to his students' minds. He didn't fancy taking house points from his own Snakes, or giving them detentions – detentions were particularly out of the questions because they'd mean that he couldn't spend time with Abby and Harry.

His non-caffeinated fiancée groaned and mumbled, 'It's going to be fine.'

He hoped that she was right.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	54. Chapter 54

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The day, up to the arrival of the students, was perfectly normal, and then the school became again the beehive that it is with pupils within its walls.

The Sorting was uneventful, but Dumbledore's opening speech surprised most of the students. The Headmaster explained that four Muggles might come to the castle; students were expected to be civil to them – and pranks would be severely punished.

A few older students snorted.

'Albus, may I?' McGonagall asked.

Dumbledore nodded.

The Head of Gryffindor stood up and said, 'One of the Muggles you might meet is working with me to help a young wizard who had been hexed. A few of you might think that she is but a Muggle, and that one of your spells would take care of her in the wink of an eye, but she is a special agent in the Muggle world, and she's quite capable of taking care of herself. In fact, if any of you has the stupid idea of attacking her, your punishment will be to face her wrath, and any broken bones or subsequent injury that you may suffer will be treated by Muggle means.'

There was an almost collective gasp from the students, especially the youngest ones.

One audacious Hufflepuff raised her hand.

'Miss Scott?' McGonagall asked.

'May we ask our respectable guests for information about their world? I don't mean to cheat in Muggle Studies, but I'd like to be as accurate as possible in the homework I hand over to Professor Church,' Scott said.

The Muggle Studies teacher beamed.

'As long as you don't bother them, and they agree to answer, I don't see why not,' McGonagall said.

'Who are those _people_?' a Gryffindor in his last year inquired.

'Two are colleagues of the wizard I am tutoring – as is my privilege. They're helping me,' McGonagall answered.

She decided that Pince and Gibbs's affair was none of the students' business.

Dumbledore knew that McGonagall was expecting him to go on when she looked at him none-too-discreetly.

'Another of our guests is my companion. He's a close friend of the two agents who are helping Professor McGonagall, and none of them would allow any harm to come to him,' Dumbledore said. 'Provided that you recovered from _my_ spells.'

The Great Hall started buzzing like a hive. The students were surprised that Dumbledore, at his age, was in a relationship – and with a man. Most of them wondered how extraordinary the man who'd managed to make the great wizard fall for him was.

The older Ravenclaws hadn't forgotten that there was another Muggle to introduce.

'Who's the last one?' one asked loud enough to be heard over the general brouhaha.

McGonagall sat down as Snape stood up.

The older students stopped talking instantly, and the first-years followed suit.

'When you _all_ reach your dorms, you will find an invitation on your beds. I'm getting married next month, and my fiancée is the fourth Muggle you will see here. You're bound to see her a lot more than any of her other three friends because she now lives here,' Snape explained.

'Are we really invited?' a first-year Slytherin asked his neighbour a bit louder than he'd intended.

'Yes, Mr Lorne, you're all invited. It's the _tradition_ when a teacher gets married during the school year. I'll introduce you, Slytherins, to Abigail after the Feast,' Snape said.

Lorne beamed at his teacher and said with enthusiasm, 'Thank you, Sir!'

The other students thought that the dreaded Snape would bark at the new student, but he merely nodded and said, 'You're welcome.'

Snape sat down, and Dumbledore gave the signal to the house-elves to send dinner.

The chats were animated, but the students were just too surprised for the moment. They'd certainly get used to the Muggle guests in the wink of an eye after they'd met them.

Right after dinner, the students went to their respective houses.

In the Slytherin Common room, Snape gathered his charges around him, and he gave them his usual speech about house policies, school results and general behaviour.

'This year, I have a few personal things to add. First, I expect you to be civil to my fiancée, even though she's not a witch; and then, I demand that you be nice to my son – our son. The magical protection of an orphan was transferred to me, and if you try anything against our son, being expelled will be the least of your worries,' Snape said.

'I beg your pardon, Sir, but we're not Gryffindorks. We know better than to threaten your son, whether he's magically or naturally obtained,' the Head Girl said.

'Except that I find myself the father of Harry Potter,' Snape explained.

Harry had felt that there was something unusual going on, and he woke up when he heard the students go to the Common room. The guarding portrait knew that Harry was too small to remember the password, and he let him in.

Harry was impressed to see so many people in the room, and he walked in the shadows. He wanted to see his daddy.

One of the Slytherins, a sixth-year Pureblood, whose family had been on the side of Voldemort, spotted the boy, took his wand and aimed towards Harry.

There was a loud bang as Abby tackled the boy onto the sofa and then threw the student's wand to Snape, who caught it.

'What did he do?' Snape asked Abby.

'He was aiming his wand at Harry,' she answered as she duct-taped the boy to the sofa.

Snape looked around and saw his son. 'Come here, Bunny,' he said softly.

Harry ran to his father, and Snape picked him up.

'Slytherins, allow me to introduce you to our son, Harry, and my delightful fiancée, Agent Abigail Sciuto,' he said.

'I'll make sure that Kemper is the only idiot among us, and I'll report to you, Sir,' the Head girl declared.

'I'm sure he won't try anything that stupid ever again,' Abby said.

'You're quite fast, Ma'am!' a seventh-year said.

'Call me Abby if you don't want me to use duct-tape on you, too,' Abby declared.

The Slytherins were half-frightened, half-excited.

With a flick of his wand, Snape freed Kemper and gave him his wand back.

'What shall I do with him, Abigail?' Snape asked.

'I'm sure the Defence teacher needs an assistant,' Abby said.

'Surely, you mean a guinea pig?' Snape joked. He looked at Kemper and added, 'Agent Sciuto is known for having broken three wands. If you threaten her, or Harry, and you end up wandless, I'll give you daily detentions until you've passed your last exam.'

'Two,' Abby pointed out.

'Abigail?' Snape said.

'Technically, I broke two wands, the first one exploded when I electrocuted… its owner,' she pointed out.

'You're right. Let's be accurate,' Snape said.

The three students, who were sharing Kemper's dorm, were drooling on the floor while looking at Abby. Their leader said, 'We'll make sure that he'll locate his brain, Sir.'

'Excellent,' Snape said. He looked at his son and said, 'Harry, these students are my Slytherins.'

'Hello!' Harry said brightly.

'Good evening, Harry, I'm Alicia Sympo, your father's Head Girl. If anyone bothers you, you can yell my name, and I'll arrive as fast as I can,' she said.

'Thanks, Miss Alicia!' Harry said.

Sympo smiled.

A cold voice whispered, 'Anyone trying anything against Master Harry will have to face the consequences.'

'Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you about the house-elf who's been assigned to my family. Reveal yourself, Greenli,' Snape ordered.

She was next to Kemper.

'If she aims for an artery, he'll bleed to death in about three minutes,' Abby stated, as if it were the most common thing to say.

'I would hex him to protect Master Harry, Mistress,' Greenli said.

'If you ever have to do something, just stop the culprit. I'll want to make my point… slowly,' Abby said.

Greenli nodded.

Lorne elbowed Sympo and asked, 'Do you think we can play with Harry when we have free time?'

The Head Girl blinked.

Snape was tempted to chuckle, but he quietly said, 'If you _do_ have free time, and if Harry isn't already asleep, I wouldn't forbid you to play with him. Would you, Abigail?'

'It's all right with me,' Abby said.

'I have a much more important question,' another student asked.

'Yes, Mr Diaband?' Snape said.

'Do we get house-points if we baby-sit for you?' he inquired.

Abby laughed at that, which made Snape glare at her.

'That doesn't work on me,' she pointed out.

Snape kept glaring and said, 'No, because taking care of Harry isn't school-related and wouldn't justify house-points.'

A young witch behind Abby whispered, 'Never mind, he reminds me of my baby brother. I'd baby-sit for free. He's so cute.'

Abby swirled to face the girl and winked, which made the witch smile.

Snape handed Harry over to Abby and kissed the boy's brow. 'You should be in bed. It's too late for you.'

'I wanted to meet them,' Harry said sleepily.

'Back to bed, Bunny!' Abby said. She looked at Snape and said, 'I'll make some coffee.'

Greenli followed her and Harry.

Abby turned around at the door and said, 'Goodnight, students.'

'Night!' Harry said.

The students either waved at Harry or said "goodnight" to Harry and his mum.

Kemper growled something, which prompted Sympo to cuff the back of his head.

'I'll have to introduce you to my brother, Miss Sympo. He uses similar methods,' Snape told her.

'Is he a teacher, too, Sir?' Lorne inquired.

'Not exactly, Gibbs is my fiancée's supervisor at NCIS,' Snape said.

'What's that, Sir?' another first-year, emboldened by Lorne, asked.

Snape explained what NCIS was, and what Gibbs, Abby, DiNozzo and Ziva did for a living.

'Is your fiancée a coroner?' a student asked.

'A what?' her neighbour inquired.

'My aunt's one,' the witch answered.

'Abigail is a lab tech, but the Headmaster's companion is a Medical Examiner,' Snape said.

'Impressive!' the witch said.

'Do you understand what that means?' her neighbour asked.

She nodded furiously and said, 'They're like Muggle Aurors.'

'Mudbloods!' Kemper hissed.

Sympo cuffed him again.

Kemper's dorm-mates grabbed him by the collar and dragged him away. 'We'll have a little _chat_ with him, Sir, if it's all right with you,' one of them said.

'Be good Slytherins,' Snape said.

'Of course, Sir,' the three students said.

'Are there any more idiots?' Sympo inquired.

Snape used Legilimency, and he was satisfied that the rest of his students weren't planning anything against his family. In fact, most of them were happy for their Head – those were usually the younger ones; the older students hoped that family life would make Snape less demanding.

Sympo's mates shook their heads.

'We won the House Cup last year after an atrociously long reign of the Gryffindorks, and I will take it personally if any of you makes us lose points. This is my last year here, and I want us to win the Cup again. Got it?' Sympo said.

They all nodded.

'I'll see you in the morning. Good night. Dismissed,' Snape said. He turned to Sympo and asked, 'Would you like some coffee, or some herbal tea, in my quarters with Abigail and me?'

Sympo beamed as if it were her birthday. 'I'd be delighted, Sir!'

Snape and the Head girl were about to leave the Common room when a fifth-year witch cleared her throat.

Snape turned to her and asked, 'What can I do for you, Miss Etaly?'

'Erm… Sir… Do you think your fiancée would tell me where she buys her clothes?' Etaly asked, blushing madly.

Right then, Snape understood that his life in Hogwarts would never, ever, be the same. He could be miserable about it, or he could be a good Slytherin and use it.

Snape was the best Slytherin there was.

He held out his hand to Etaly and said, 'Let's go find out.'

Still blushing, Etaly took her Potions master's hand.

'You're too thin to wear skirts like that. You'd look like a girl walking on twigs,' Sympo told the younger witch.

'The nerve! You're just upset because you'd never have the guts to wear skirts this short!' Etaly retaliated.

Snape chuckled.

'Sir?' both girls asked.

'I'll never have that sort of chat with my son,' he said.

Sympo was a bold witch, and she said, 'You might have a daughter one day.'

Snape was still blinking when he invited the two Slytherins into his quarters.

Gibbs and Pince were on the sofa with Abby.

'Anything wrong?' Gibbs asked.

Snape shook his head and introduced his students to his brother.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	55. Chapter 55

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Snape shook his head and introduced his students to his brother.

'Bunny fell asleep again the second I put him in his bed,' Abby told Snape.

'I'm surprised he even woke up,' Snape said.

'Kids have a way to feel when there's something unusual going on,' Gibbs intervened.

Snape nodded at that.

'I think Miss Etaly wants to ask something,' Pince interrupted.

Snape looked at his student, who was blushing, and said, 'And not only about Abigail's clothes, it seems.'

Etaly blushed more.

'What do you want to know?' Abby asked the girl warmly.

'Well…' Etaly didn't dare speak.

'There, there, Professor Snape won't take points from you, and Agent Sciuto won't bark at you,' Pince said.

'Well, I'd really like to know where Agent Sciuto buys her clothes because they're great,' Etaly said.

'They come from the States, but I know a few shops in London. I'll have Severus give you a list with addresses tomorrow,' Abby said.

'Thank you, Ma'am!' Etaly exclaimed happily.

'_Abby_… or I won't give you the addresses,' Abby said.

'It's… It's a bit strange,' Etaly mumbled.

'I'm not one of your teachers,' Abby declared.

'If that's what you prefer, we'll get used to it, but most of the younger ones will need a bit of time,' Sympo said.

Abby nodded.

'What is the other thing you wanted to ask?' Gibbs asked Etaly.

The girl's blush returned with a vengeance, but she bravely said, 'I'm just wondering if I'm hearing things, or if Harry's nickname is actually _Bunny_.'

Snape and Abby traded looks and chuckled.

'You're not hearing things,' Snape said. 'We started calling him that one day, and Harry likes it.'

'And we like it, too,' Abby added.

'Will you use an Adoption spell after your Bonding?' Sympo asked her Head.

To the girls' surprise, it was Abby who answered and said, 'Yes, that way Harry will be officially _ours_.'

'That'll be better for all of you,' Sympo pointed out.

'Someone isn't sleeping in History of Magic,' Etaly said with a chuckle.

'Someone is spending all her free time in the library,' Pince intervened.

'I think everybody sleeps in History of Magic!' Sympo said.

'Even I slept in that class,' Pince admitted.

'We all did or do,' Snape added.

'What's wrong with that class?' Gibbs wondered.

'The teacher's a ghost,' Etaly said.

Sympo and Etaly told Gibbs why that particular teacher was a bore.

'I'll have a word with Ducky. That ghost shouldn't be kicked out of the castle, but History is too important. I'm not surprised that there are so many Dark Lords around if no one remembers what happened ten years ago,' Gibbs said.

'I'll help,' Abby said.

'Books are great, but good lessons would be nice,' Etaly said.

'Speaking of teachers, will the new matchstick we have in Defence be any good?' Sympo inquired.

Pince, Gibbs and Abby turned to Snape. He sighed and said, 'Harry's godfather should do a decent job.'

'Not only because you threatened to turn him into a potion ingredient,' Abby joked.

'Not only,' Snape joked back.

'Salazar be praised!' Sympo said. 'Do you think that he'll be able to prepare us for the exams?'

Snape nodded.

There was something about Snape that bothered Sympo, and then, she put two and two together. 'Oh, My! We're getting Defence tests to evaluate the extent of the catastrophe!'

'No!' Etaly wailed.

'Sweetie, if your teacher knows exactly what you know and what you don't know, he can help you more efficiently,' Abby said.

'He's competent,' Snape declared.

Sympo and Etaly traded looks; if their Head praised the new Defence teacher, then that was enough for them.

They all talked about schools, exams and trifles.

After their cups of hot cocoa, which had been brought by Greenli because "the students were too young to have coffee" according to her, the two students went back to their respective dorms. Soon afterwards, Pince and Gibbs went to her quarters, and Snape and Abby settled in each other's arms on the sofa.

'I'll have a word with Kemper in the morning,' Snape declared.

'And you'll find that his mates, and Alicia, have made him understand that trying anything against Harry would be a very bad idea. I wouldn't put it past Greenli to do something, too,' Abby said.

Snape nodded once.

'Your students are nice. The little Lorne is too cute,' Abby said.

'Harry is going to make them melt, and you're going to make them drool,' Snape said with a chuckle.

'And you're going to use us to make your snakes the best students in Hogwarts,' Abby said.

'Why, of course,' Snape said with a grin.

Abby pecked his cheek.

'This is probably our last relatively quiet evening until Yule,' Snape said.

'Then we should probably go to bed,' Abby suggested.

'Excellent idea,' Snape agreed.

For the first time since Dumbledore had more or less forced him to accept the Potions teaching position, allegedly to protect him, Snape felt truly happy. Abby and Harry had transformed his life over the summer, and his new family and friends were giving him hope for the future – their future.

The next morning, it was Harry who woke up his parents. Abby was, as was becoming usual, using her fiancé for pillow. Snape had got used to having Harry in their room to wake them up; in fact, the spell he automatically cast on their bedroom door let Harry in as long as he and Abby were sleeping, or not engaged in activities that were to remain private.

'Daddy, Mummy, breakfast!' Harry said enthusiastically.

'Where would you like to take yours, Abigail?' Snape asked her.

'Great Hall. For Bunny, for the students of the other houses who don't know me yet, and to make Dumbledore lose a bet with Ducky,' she mumbled.

Snape took a quick shower with Harry, while Abby fought not to fall asleep in the bathtub. Thirty minutes later, the entire family was entering the Great Hall.

It was very early, and there were few students and few teachers.

Abby sat down at the Slytherin table, as close to the High table as possible, and she helped Harry onto the bench right next to her.

Snape looked at McGonagall and Remus, nodded to greet them and made up his mind to change one thing in his routine. Instead of joining his fellows, he sat down next to his son, as was his right.

'Sev?' Abby whispered.

'I don't want to be up there without you,' he explained. 'Besides, it might be good for my Slytherins to see that I'm not some strange entity,' he added.

Tonks, who was sitting down behind Snape at the Gryffindor table, chuckled warmly.

'Morning, Dora!' Harry said.

The boy had met her once, but he was quite fond of the metamorph, and he accepted her with all her differences. Just like Harry didn't see that Leon Vance was not exactly like the rest of his family, the fact that Tonks could change her features and the colour of her hair merely made her more interesting. He'd instantly taken to calling her "Dora", and she quite liked it.

'Good morning, Harry, Abby, Professor Snape,' she answered.

'Morning, Tonks,' Abby said as she started inhaling her first coffee.

Snape was serving his son when he asked, 'Why did you chuckle?'

'There will always be students convinced that you're crossed with a bat, or that you're a vampire,' Tonks answered honestly.

'I can assure you that he's not a vampire,' Abby said.

'And Daddy's not a bat,' Harry protested.

'Of course not, but a bit of mystery never hurts,' Tonks told Harry, adding a big wink for good measure.

Sympo arrived, saw her Head with his family at the students' table, paused, shrugged and decided to sit in front of them.

After her second piece of toast, Sympo said, 'I think you'll be happy to hear that the entire house has had a little chat with Kemper, and he'll be no threat.'

'How did you do that?' Abby asked.

'Well, one of his mates told us that he's betrothed. We found a way to have her have a little conversation with him, and he's had an epiphany,' Sympo said.

'Harry, why don't you go say "hello" to your godfather?' Snape suggested.

Harry zoomed away to Remus.

'Whoa! Did you cross him with a Snitch?' Sympo asked.

Abby chuckled and said, 'That's the normal speed for a kid his age.'

'Oh, all right,' Sympo said.

'What did Kemper's betrothed threatened to do?' Snape asked his Head Girl.

'I understood that he'd like to have children one day,' Sympo said very softly.

'I bet there are spells that could help his betrothed make her point,' Abby whispered.

Snape nodded and said, 'Permanent and painful ones, too.'

'I'll have to thank that girl,' Abby said.

'Actually, she's grateful that his true nature was revealed before she agreed to go through with their parents' plans. She's in Ravenclaw,' Sympo said.

'Did she give him a piece of her mind by Fire-call?' Abby asked.

Sympo blushed and lied, 'Yes.'

'Right, and if that's the truth, then _I'm_ a witch. How did you get her into Slytherin house?' Abby inquired.

Tonks chuckled again, and Sympo glared at her.

'I'll give you a detention with Argus Filch only if you don't tell me,' Snape said.

'With the help of runes, you can use the Floo network common room to common room,' Sympo said.

'You shall demonstrate before dinner,' Snape said. 'How did you find out?'

'I… I invented it to go see my friend,' Sympo admitted.

'Aw… is she a Ravenclaw?' Abby inquired.

Sympo blinked and shook her head. 'How did you know that my friend is a witch?' she asked.

'Muggles can have hidden powers, Alicia,' Abby said.

'So I see!' the girl exclaimed.

'But not enough to see that she's a Gryffindor,' Snape said.

'I bet you _cheated_!' Abby protested.

'No, Dear, I was logical,' Snape said.

'Sir?' Sympo said.

'You're too loud about them, Miss Sympo. The conclusion was logical,' Snape said.

'But she still wants to beat us and get the House Cup,' Tonks growled.

'I'm expecting no less,' Snape declared.

Sympo blew a raspberry at Tonks, who retaliated, and Snape smiled.

Dumbledore arrived right then. He saw Abby and Harry in the Great Hall, and Snape not at the High table; he'd lost _two_ bets with Ducky – and he was convinced that at least Abby knew about the bets. The Headmaster realized in his turn that life would never be the same ever again.

However, spending the next weekend with Ducky and going to the continent, to avoid interruption, would be very pleasant. Dumbledore decided that he'd buy a pound of Belgian pralines to thank McGonagall for taking over for two days.

The rest of the Hogwarts inhabitants arrived slowly.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	56. Chapter 56

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The students were surprised to see the Head of Slytherin sitting at the students' table, but then they noticed Abby and Harry. They finally sat down at their usual places; the new students claimed the benches closest to the High table.

The first-year Slytherins were happy to be so close to their Head. Wesley Lorne sat next to Sympo, just in front of his Head.

'Good morning!' Lorne said joyfully.

'Ready for your first classes?' Abby asked.

'Oh, yes, Ma'am!' the boy said.

'When can I start school?' Harry asked as he hopped back on the bench between his parents.

'Today,' Abby said. 'Greenli is going to tutor you.'

'And I'll help,' Pince said as she joined them and sat down next to Snape.

'Really, Aunt Irma?' Harry asked.

'Yes, Harry, you're going to spend a few hours with me, and guess what…?' Pince said.

'What? What?' Harry asked eagerly.

'I'm going to read you stories,' Pince answered.

Harry beamed.

'My elder sister did the same for me,' Sympo said.

'It was Papa who read me stories and taught me to read,' Lorne intervened.

'Not your Mummy?' Harry asked.

'I have two dads,' Lorne said. 'Daddy works in his office, and Papa takes care of the house.'

'Two daddies?' Harry asked.

'There are ways, Harry, but it's very complicated magic. I'll tell you all about it when you can understand the spells and potions,' Snape said.

Harry knew that his father would never lie to him; he merely nodded. 'I need to read to understand, right?' he asked.

'Yes, Bunny,' Abby said.

Harry grinned happily.

Sympo elbowed Lorne and said, 'So, you've got two dads.'

'Yea?' Lorne said.

'I'll have to talk with you,' Sympo said.

'Certainly not!' Snape intervened. 'You're too young.'

'What's on her mind, exactly?' Abby asked.

'She wants to know how the Lornes combine their magical abilities to make their relationship work. She's seventeen, and she's been with her friend for four months,' Snape answered.

'She's got to start planning things if she's serious,' Abby intervened, which made Sympo nod furiously.

Snape looked at his fiancée, thinking about the entire situation.

'Is Poppy in charge of Sex Ed?' Abby asked.

Snape snapped out of his thoughts and asked in his turn, 'In charge of what?'

'Sex Ed,' Abby said good-naturedly. 'The non-parental birds and bees talk with biology information that helps students understand why their hormones are turning them into mad animals. You know, Sex Education.'

Snape blinked.

'We don't have that, here,' Sympo said.

Abby growled.

'Perhaps you'd like to go see Poppy,' Snape said.

'I'll have a word with Dumbledore on my way to the hospital. Do you think that the _father_ of your _godson_ could help? I imagine that the Ministry has to be involved if a new course is to be created,' Abby said, using only indirect allusions.

'I'm not convinced that the Ministry would allow such a class to be started, Abigail. I think that Poppy can tell you if students come to ask her questions,' Snape said.

'They look for books,' Pince intervened.

'You bet, we do! We can't buy books on _that_ in stores. They say we're too young,' Sympo added.

'Are there any _useful_ books in your library?' Abby asked the librarian.

'Not on _that_ topic,' Pince said. She leant over the table and whispered, 'I send students who need _help_ and _information_ to Poppy.'

'But there's nothing _official_,' Abby said.

Pince had just bitten a piece of toast, and she was chewing carefully as she shook her head.

'I'm surprised that the PA does nothing,' Abby pointed out.

'The what?' Sympo asked.

'The Parents' Association. Surely your parents are in touch with the teachers. I know that when Harry starts school here, I'll want to know how he's doing, which should be easier for me since I live here,' Abby told the Head Girl.

'As long as there's nothing unusual to specify, parents are sent only one annual report,' Snape explained.

'Are your parents happy with that?' Abby asked Sympo.

Sympo nodded.

Abby turned around towards the Gryffindor table. All the students – at least those who were close enough – had been eavesdropping, and when Abby asked Tonks if her parents were satisfied with the situation like Sympo's, Tonks, and all her friends, nodded.

Abby looked at Snape and said, 'All right, things are different in a magical school when it comes to PA stuff, but there seems to be a need for Sex Ed – after all, these kids may have magic, but they're kids. It's stupid not to tell them about sex.'

'What is it, Mummy?' Harry asked.

'It's a very natural thing, Harry. It's something you have for fun, for love, and sometimes, it makes babies,' Abby said without missing a beat.

'You got me that way?' Harry asked.

'We had you with magic,' Snape told his son.

'Just like my dads,' Lorne said.

'Cool!' a beaming Harry said.

'We'll tell you more about it later, when you're a bit older,' Snape added.

'Okay, Daddy,' Harry said obediently.

Snape turned to Abby and admitted, 'I'd never given it a thought, but you might have a point. If you want to try something, it's Draco's mother you'll have to win to your side.'

'Sneaky!' Abby said, approval clear in her voice.

'_Slytherin_, Dear,' Pince corrected her.

Abby chuckled. She looked at Snape and asked, 'Do you think Minerva can help?'

'Perhaps,' he said.

'I'll plot with the girls, first; then I'll have lunch with Ducky, and tonight we'll launch an attack on Dumbledore,' Abby declared.

She kissed Harry's cheek, squeezed Snape's shoulder, and then she was gone to the High table to have a word with McGonagall.

'Do you think your fiancée can have that new course added to our curriculum?' Sympo asked Snape in a whisper.

'If I know her well, she'll do everything to make that happen, and if the Ministry and the Board don't think that it's a good idea, she'll find another way,' Snape said.

'What could she do if Minister Fudge disagrees?' Pince wondered.

Snape sighed and said, 'I predict that batches of students will be invited over for tea if they want. She knows that once she's my wife, she'll be a Protector of the Slytherins. I think she'll extend her protection to the other houses.'

'It's been a long time since a professor decided to live here with his or her companion and family,' Sympo said.

'It's nice,' Lorne murmured.

Snape, Pince and Sympo spotted hints of homesickness in Lorne. Sympo wrapped an arm around the boy and hugged him.

'I wouldn't have stayed here without my family,' Snape said.

'We're glad you're all with us, Sir,' Sympo said.

'And I'm really glad you met Abby,' Pince said.

'You're _not_ being selfish,' Snape teased the witch.

'Absolutely not,' Pince lied.

Lorne looked puzzled and lost, so Harry decided to enlighten his new friend; he leant and whispered, 'Aunt Irma is with Uncle Jethro.'

Snape chuckled, leant closer to Pince and asked, 'Do you realize that, according to Bunny's genealogy, you're my sister by alliance now?'

'There are worse families,' Pince whispered.

By then, Abby had left the Great Hall with McGonagall, and they were on their way to the hospital to see Pomfrey.

The rest of breakfast was quiet, but the chat with the Mediwitch was quite animated.

Abby discovered that the Ministry was rather in denial about teen sex. There were spells and potions to deal with unwanted pregnancies, which Abby found a rather good thing, but there were magical infections that spread because the teens didn't know very simple medical spells.

The paradox was that Pomfrey was allowed to tell students whatever she wanted, but the students had to come see her with questions, first. She could answer and tell them everything there was to know, but she wasn't allowed to have a special class.

'That's just so twisted,' Abby said softly.

'We try to encourage the older students to come here with whatever questions they have, but they don't always listen to us,' McGonagall explained.

Abby looked at her two friends; the two witches could almost see the wheels turn in Abby's head.

'Not all students take Muggle Studies,' Abby said.

'We can't say it's the most popular class,' McGonagall told her.

'But do you think the teacher would be on our side?' Abby inquired.

'I think so,' Pomfrey said.

'Do you have a plan?' McGonagall asked Abby.

'It's taking shape. I'll have lunch with Ducky _and_ Gibbs,' Abby answered.

Plotting, planning, and her brain cells whirling madly in her skull, Abby left the hospital and decided to go to NCIS.

Her team was now known as the "almost-graveyard pack", but they'd discovered that early calls were usually more interesting – and most of the members of the team were either morning birds, or spending their evenings in Hogwarts. The new schedule suited them all.

The rest of the day was quiet – except, possibly, in the Defence classes where Remus quizzed all his students.

Abby, Ducky and Gibbs had come up with a plan, but they first needed to know if Professor Church was ready to help them.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	57. Chapter 57

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

After dinner, Abby asked Greenli to guide her to Church's office. Colin Church looked rather old – not as old as Dumbledore, but he really looked closer to retirement than even Ducky. He'd just given a special assignment to Tonks when Abby knocked on his open door.

'Do come in, Agent Sciuto!' Church said merrily.

'May I ask her to help me, Professor?' Tonks asked her teacher.

'Miss Tonks, how would you like it if I were to invade the quiet of your home in the summer to ask you to help me? Our esteemed non-magical guest is here, off duty, to spend time with her family,' Church declared.

Tonks nodded furiously. 'I'll find another Muggle,' she said.

'Severus wants to see you, Dora,' Abby said.

'Busy first day,' the wannabe Auror said. 'Good evening, Professor. And if I don't see you in the dungeons, good night, Abby.'

Abby smiled as the seventh-year jogged away.

'So much energy!' Church said with a chuckle.

'Living in a boarding school is going to be entertaining for me,' Abby said.

'It is quite entertaining,' Church agreed.

'It's got to be funnier for me,' Abby declared.

'How so?' he wondered.

'No assignments to mark,' she explained.

Church chuckled and said, 'I must say, Agent Sciuto…'

'_Abby_, please, Professor Church!' she interrupted him.

'Only if I'm Colin,' he said.

She nodded once.

'You see, Abby, I think that I usually have a much easier time than most of my colleagues. The practical advantage with Muggle Studies is that I can give them multiple-choice tests, and I can mark those faster than the other teachers who have to read yards and yards of parchments,' Church said.

Abby grinned and said, 'Cunning.'

Church chuckled warmly.

'By any chance, were you sorted into Slytherin?' she inquired.

Church chuckled again and answered, 'No, I was a Ravenclaw. I married a Slytherin.'

Abby smiled.

'Now, what can I do for you?' Church inquired.

'I know that Magical education is none of my business, but I have to take care of Harry, too, and all too soon he's going to start dating, and by then I hope he listened to his dad and me… but all the kids here need to be informed about, well, _everything_,' Abby said.

'Poppy might have cornered me earlier, actually,' Church said with a chuckle. 'And I must say that I agree with you. However, I'm just the Muggle Studies teacher, and I don't see how I can help you. My biggest achievement is to make kids who come from full Wizarding families able to navigate in a non-magical environment without standing out.'

'I know that Minerva has invited the heads of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw to tea to coordinate our plan. She'll take care of her little lions, and Severus will have a chat with his house over the weekend. The idea is to make the kids curious,' Abby said.

'That's not all,' Church said.

'Your Slytherin has really rubbed off on you,' she said with a merry chuckle.

'In more ways than one,' he joked.

She smiled and went on, 'You and Poppy are the only ones who can freely teach Sex Ed to the students without getting the Ministry involved. I was ready to try something there because I really believe in prevention, but then plotting is always better when dealing with a certain kind of civil servants.'

'Cunning,' Church agreed. 'How do I fit in in your plan? I'm far from being competent in biology, and I don't think our teen students would listen to _me_.'

'Well, you can bait your students by telling them about that so special class that Muggle pupils have, and then if you were to tell them that Poppy can give them the exact same lesson, plus the Wizarding _spells_,' Abby said.

'It might work for my students, indeed, but Muggle Studies isn't the most popular subject, you know,' he explained.

'The heads of houses will be recruiting their prefects, as well as the Head Boy and Head Girl. Then, the idea is that kids are really curious – at least if we're to believe Ducky, who went to a Muggle boarding school. Hopefully, the students you don't have will hear about Muggle Sex Ed, hear about all the juicy secrets and useful spells that Poppy can tell them, and then most of them will go see our favourite Mediwitch for additional information,' Abby said.

'It might work for most students,' Church conceded.

'If we can lower the odds of two uninformed students getting together and ending up in trouble, that'd be nice. It's just a beginning, but if you could help us direct the lil' ones to the resident doctor, that'd be nice,' Abby said.

'I'm in,' Church said, rubbing his hands together with obvious glee. 'How do we proceed?'

Abby shared the details of the plans with him. The next day, a Friday, there was a major pow-wow in the staff room.

All the schemers had finished planning their plot when the Floo network activated and the fireplace spat Shacklebolt.

'Is something wrong?' McGonagall inquired.

'Possibly,' the visiting wizard admitted. 'Sirius Black has been fully exonerated, and he's being treated in St Mungo's, but Moody would like to get Professor Lupin's help. I was hoping he'd be around.'

'With the amount of tests he's given the students, he must be dripping red ink on parchments in his office,' Flitwick declared.

'No, he's in our parlour, with Severus and Harry,' Abby intervened.

Work was so slow that day that Gibbs had agreed to have her start her weekend early, and she'd been leading the meeting.

'Would you mind if I were to go interrupt them?' Shacklebolt asked politely.

'Be my guest, but for your sake, I hope that you can dodge a curse,' Abby said.

Shacklebolt smiled and said, 'I fail to see why Snape would try to hex me.'

He stopped smiling when Abby declared, 'It's not Sev who's a bit nervous these days, it's Remus. He's got a whole load on his plate.'

Blinking, Shacklebolt went down to the dungeons.

Just a few minutes later, the teachers and the few students involved in Abby's plot were leaving the staff room when the visitor from the Ministry came back, looking slightly stunned.

'What's wrong?' inquired Professor Sprout.

'He _growled_ at me when I suggested that he come help with Black,' Shacklebolt answered.

'Severus?' Flitwick asked.

Shacklebolt shook his head several times. 'No, _Remus_,' he said.

'I'd warned you!' Abby said saucily.

'Yes, but he's always been so nice and quiet,' Shacklebolt said.

'He wasn't nice and quiet,' Abby hissed right in Shacklebolt's ear in order not to be overheard by students. 'He was scared to death to be _betrayed_.'

Shacklebolt blinked at that, but he was forced to admit that Abby might well have a point.

'But Sirius is Remus's friend,' Sprout said.

'When did you start teaching here?' Abby asked the witch.

'Twenty years ago,' Sprout answered innocently.

McGonagall flinched, because she knew what Abby was about to say.

'Then you do know that Black was not such a good friend. The man might have changed in jail – which is a very good thing,' Abby declared, 'but Remus is entitled to a quiet life. Why should he drop everything to take care of someone who can have other people take care of him? I'm sure Remus will go see Black, but only after he's figured out what he'll have to teach his students, and when he's not too dead tired to do so.'

'If Moody doesn't want to baby-sit Sirius, then I'm sure that Molly Weasley will be happy to have an Order duty to perform,' McGonagall suggested.

'The woman is a pathological mother-hen,' Flitwick declared sotto voce.

Abby heard him and winked at him, which prompted him to grin.

'I'll go back to the Ministry after a detour by the Burrow. I'm sure Arthur will welcome the distraction for his wife,' Shacklebolt said.

'Keeping her busy is a very good idea,' Abby declared.

Shacklebolt nodded. Then, he looked at the odd assembly there and was lost.

'What are you doing here?' he asked.

'Just a few things to plan, you know,' Abby lied.

'Which reminds me that your mother asked me to take you shopping for traditional robes for your Bonding,' McGonagall told Abby in an attempt to have Shacklebolt believe that their meeting had been about the impending Bonding ceremony.

'Huh?' was all that Abby could say.

'When do you want to go? I'm free tomorrow morning after breakfast,' McGonagall said.

'How did my mother tell you anything? Do you sign?' Abby inquired. 'Did you cast a spell on her?'

'Sign?' McGonagall asked.

'My parents are deaf. We communicate through sign language,' Abby explained as she used both English and sign language to illustrate what she meant.

'Well, I don't know how she did it, but I got the message through Irma,' McGonagall said.

'Oh!' Abby exclaimed.

'What?' a lost Shacklebolt asked.

'Gibbs can sign. My mum must have found a way to contact him, and he relayed the request,' Abby explained. She turned to McGonagall and said, 'I don't want to bother you.'

'Shopping for a Bonding is _never_ a bother,' McGonagall declared. Her eyes were twinkling like Dumbledore's when he's high on sweets, which said quite a lot.

'Tomorrow's okay, then,' Abby agreed.

Shacklebolt retreated to the fireplace to escape to the Burrow, but he knew that there was more going on than he'd been allowed to see.

In fact, it was only six months later that three parents complained about the extra information provided to their "too young" children – according to them – and by then the Minister couldn't have the entire school Memory-charmed.

Since the Mediwitch was allowed to inform the students, there was nothing that could be done to make her _not_ inform the students about Prophylactic spells and potions and about safer sex in general. The entire staff – and quite a few spells – still prevented the students from having sex in Hogwarts, but what they'd do outside of school would be significantly less risky.

The few shocked parents were vastly outweighed by the ones who approved – and wished that they'd been told a few _things_ when they were their own children's ages.

The plot was on its way; therefore, the Bonding was the next big thing to work on.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	58. Chapter 58

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

McGonagall walked into the Great Hall on that Saturday morning, and she went straight to the Slytherin table where Snape and Abby were planning their activities for the weekend.

'I shall be ready to go right after breakfast if you want,' McGonagall told Abby.

'Fine with me,' Abby answered.

'Where are you going?' Harry asked.

'Shopping, Bunny. Do you want to come with us?' she asked their son. She looked at Snape and added, 'You can work more quietly if Harry stays with me, and then we can do stuff together this afternoon.'

Snape nodded, and Harry grinned.

'Excellent, I'll have a carriage ready. Shall we meet at the door in a half hour?' McGonagall suggested.

Abby nodded, and the older woman walked to the High table to get some breakfast.

'Are there rules or traditions for choosing Bonding robes?' Abby asked her fiancé in a whisper.

'Abigail, I don't have the slightest idea about traditions, but Minerva will be able to help you,' Snape said.

'All right,' she said softly.

'We could Portkey to your parents' next week,' Snape suggested.

She smiled at him because she knew that he was quite nervous around her folks. She knew everything that there was to know about his parents, and the differences between her family and his would trouble even someone as strong as Gibbs.

'We could go see them for lunch on Sunday. We wouldn't have to be away too long, and Harry would get to play with his cousins,' she said. 'Besides, Cynthia e-mailed me about our niece Christine. She thinks she might be a witch.'

'As you can produce sparks when you're holding a wand and you're angry, I think there might be latent magic in your family, indeed,' Snape smirked.

Very seriously, Abby asked, 'Do you think that the place where we grew up could be relevant?'

'Absolutely not. In fact, we don't know how magic flows, and therefore, we can't say that any location is more magical than any other,' he said.

'But if no one knows how magic flows, then geography could be one of the components,' Abby declared.

Snape blinked because she was right.

Professor Church had overheard the exchange as he walked towards the High table. He briefly stopped near Snape and whispered, 'Excellent honorary Slytherin you've found.'

'Indeed,' Snape agreed.

'Years of strategy with Gibbs. Helps a lot!' Abby explained.

Church smiled and went to sit at his usual spot.

Abby and Snape planned a few more things, and then she asked Greenli to bring her a jumper for Harry and her small black cape. It was windy outside, and it would do no good to catch a cold.

When Abby walked out, McGonagall was standing next to a black carriage that was drawn by odd equine-like creatures.

'What are those beasts?' Abby inquired.

'Ah… so you can see them,' McGonagall said softly.

'Yea!' Abby said, nodding several times.

'They're ghost 'orses?' Harry asked.

McGonagall paled and looked very sad. 'No, Harry, they're thestrals. That's another kind of animal. They have magic.'

Harry nodded.

'What's the deal with those beasts?' Abby demanded.

McGonagall looked at Harry and said, 'Only those who have seen someone die can see them. I don't know if Harry remembers what happened, or if what he saw triggered some magic.'

'Oh,' Abby whispered.

'And I didn't know you could see them,' McGonagall added. 'Then again, you're no ordinary Muggle.'

'Nice way of saying I'm weird,' Abby said with a chuckle.

'I mean quite extraordinary,' McGonagall protested.

Abby smiled and pecked the witch's cheek, which made her smile, too.

They got in the carriage, and the two women talked about the Bonding ceremony; Harry listened to them, and he started to believe that what his parents were planning was something highly magical. The concept of Bonding, or wedding, was alien to him for the moment.

'What will I do that day, then?' Harry asked, lost and puzzled.

'You'll have a very important mission. You'll be on Nana's lap, and you'll have to make sure that she doesn't cry too much,' Abby said.

'Why will Nana be sad?' Harry inquired, tears already forming in his eyes.

'She won't be sad, Bunny. She'll be too happy, and I'm sure she's going to cry a bit,' Abby answered.

'Girls are weird,' Harry mumbled.

Abby and McGonagall smiled at that.

Their carriage arrived in Hogsmeade. They got out, and McGonagall told the two thestrals to wait for them.

'The London seamstress, Madam Malkin, has a shop here, too,' McGonagall explained as she led Abby through the village.

Rosmerta, who was opening the pub, waved at both women and Harry.

They'd almost reached the shop when Harry squeezed Abby's hand and yelled, 'Draco!'

Draco let go of his father's hand and ran to his friend and his godmother.

'Morning!' Draco exclaimed joyfully.

Malfoy caught up with his son and growled, 'Don't run away like that, Draco!'

'I ran to my godmummy, Daddy,' Draco protested.

Malfoy groaned. Since his family had crossed paths with Snape's fiancée, nothing was the same; Narcissa was sexier than ever and ready to nest, and their little Draco was behaving more and more like any other child, not like the Malfoy heir.

Malfoy opened his mouth to tell his son that Abby was his "godmother" and that he should call him "Father", but he never got to it.

'Nice walking stick!' Abby exclaimed. 'Very Slytherin.'

'That's his new wand,' McGonagall explained.

Instinctively, Malfoy brought the stick with a silver snake head that hid his new wand closer to him, and the movement didn't escape Abby, who tried to hide her smile.

'How nice to meet you here!' Narcissa said as she joined them.

Abby hugged Narcissa. 'How are you?' Abby asked.

'Very busy, but fine, thank you. Is your fiancé with you?' Narcissa inquired.

'Sev stayed at Hogwarts. It seems that my childhood best friend, who's a witch, told my mum a few things about bondings, and we're here to shop for robes for me,' Abby said.

'Would you like to come with us?' McGonagall asked Narcissa.

'Really?' the younger witch asked back.

'If Lucius doesn't mind, yes, it'd be nice to do that with you,' Abby said.

Narcissa looked at her husband, who nodded once.

'What would be great is Slytherin robes. Silver and green would make Abby's eyes look even greener,' Narcissa said.

'I must admit that that is what I had in mind,' McGonagall declared.

'Perhaps Sev would like that,' Abby said.

'Are you, ladies, out of your minds?!' Malfoy almost shouted.

'Lucius?' his wife said.

'Snape's mother was a Pureblood. His bride must wear robes matching his for good luck, and, knowing the man, he'll go to his Bonding ceremony in his school uniform,' Malfoy explained.

'Oh… right. I'd forgotten that,' Narcissa said.

'With Miss Sciuto's sartorial style, wearing white and black won't be an ordeal,' Malfoy said. 'I'm coming with you.'

The three women traded looks and smiled. It was nice to include Malfoy in this.

Actually, Malfoy made excellent suggestions to the local seamstress, who began to create a wedding dress that looked like the feminine pendant of Snape's uniform.

.

.

.

Snape was working on his schedule and the next tests that he was planning to give his students when Remus barged into his office uninvited.

'What is it, Lupin?' Snape asked. 'Panicking about next week's classes?'

'Arthur Fire-called me. Molly and the new Black house-elf are taking care of Sirius, which could be good, except that Molly decided to go shopping with Sirius. Arthur doesn't know if they're in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade,' Remus said.

'Merlin!' Snape exclaimed. 'Thanks, Remus! Greenli!'

The house-elf appeared instantly.

'Greenli, I need you to take me…' Snape started.

'And me! Harry's my godson!' Remus growled.

Snape didn't protest. Abby had been right about Remus's involvement in Harry's protection.

'Take us to wherever Abby and Harry are,' Snape told the elf.

She snapped her fingers and transported them right into the second Malkin's shop where the last black ribbon had just been spelled onto Abby's Bonding robes.

Snape closed the door with a spell and turned to Greenli to say, 'Go check where Black is, and come report to me.'

The house-elf disappeared instantly.

Snape turned to his fiancée.

'Do I have to choose another dress now?' Abby asked. 'Is it bad luck that Sev saw me?'

Malfoy laughed heartily. He laughed so much that he cried.

'Well…' McGonagall began to say.

'You're not having a Muggle wedding, so you'd better take _that_ dress,' Remus said with a wide, happy smile.

'What does it mean?' Abby asked.

'Good omen,' the seamstress whispered.

Greenli came back, and reopened the door. 'Nothing to fear, Master. They're near the Weasleys' house in the Muggle town,' she said.

Snape sighed with relief. 'Greenli, until the situation is clearer, you're to stay with Harry at all times,' he ordered.

The elf nodded.

'What, no protection for me?' Abby joked.

'You're quite capable of dealing with Black _and_ Molly Weasley yourself,' Narcissa pointed out.

'All right, since Snape was kind enough to add another fairy tale dimension to his story with Miss Sciuto, which is going to delight our dear Minister for Magic when I relate the incident first thing Monday morning, I'd like to see you side by side,' Malfoy said.

Glaring, Snape complied.

Not knowing what it meant in the wizarding community when fiancés kissed in their Bonding outfits before the actual ceremony, Abby quickly pecked Snape's lips.

Remus and Malfoy traded looks and chuckled.

'What now?' Abby inquired.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	59. Chapter 59

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'How many days to your Bonding?' Malfoy inquired.

'Forty-two. Why?' Abby said.

Malfoy chuckled again.

'How does it work?' Narcissa asked. 'I forgot.'

'Four plus two is six. That's six decades of marriage at least, or six divided by two is three, and then they'll have at least three children,' Malfoy said.

'Or both,' the seamstress murmured.

'Does that work?' Abby inquired.

'As much as Trelawney's usual predictions,' Snape snorted.

'Severus, it worked for my grand-parents,' Remus declared.

'And it worked for my parents,' the seamstress added.

Abby looked at Snape and said, 'Sixty years minimum with you and/or three kids, that's quite nice. In fact, we already started on the kids' part.'

Snape looked like a Muggle deer caught in the proverbial headlights as he thought that Abby was telling him that she was pregnant.

Abby punched his arm and said, 'Harry! We already have Harry.'

'Yes, right, Harry,' Snape said.

Remus laughed softly, which made Snape glare at his fellow.

'Stop that, Remus!' Snape growled.

Remus held up his hands and smiled warmly.

None of the other commented on the fact that Snape had used Remus's first name – and Remus refrained from pointing out that it was the second time that morning. It seemed that Snape was warming up to his new colleague, and it was a good thing for both men.

'Miss Sciuto, if you do like this dress, I can have the spells fixed on it today. You can either come back, or I'll have a Post owl deliver it to you at Hogwarts,' the seamstress said.

'I really love it,' Abby said as she swirled around. 'I think that an owl might be better; that way, I won't have to bother anyone at Hogwarts to bring me back.'

'Abigail,' Snape intervened, 'we can walk back here with Harry later.'

'Or you can all come have lunch with us, and Apparate back to Hogsmeade in the afternoon,' Narcissa said.

Draco clapped happily, and Harry grinned.

The Malfoys' invitation was accepted.

'I'll take the carriage back to Hogwarts,' Remus said, as they were all getting ready to go to Malfoy Manor.

'What do you think you're doing, Professor Lupin?' Narcissa growled.

'You're invited, Lupin,' Malfoy told Remus.

'Oh,' was all he said.

'You'll Apparate your godson while I help Abigail,' Snape said, as he turned to look at Remus.

Remus nodded, and they Disapparated from the shop.

A _simple_ lunch was ordered, but the Malfoy house-elves provided their masters and guests with a beautiful feast.

Narcissa made sure that the elves put food on Remus's plate regularly. At one point, Remus traded looks with Malfoy, who looked somewhat apologetic, but there was nothing to do because Narcissa was being a mother-hen.

Malfoy realized that he liked having intelligent people around – and people who weren't looking for some kind of help from him.

The Malfoys showed the manor to their guests, and when the three professors, Abby and Harry went back to Hogsmeade, Abby's Bonding dress was made.

'I knew there was something I was forgetting,' Abby said as she smacked her brow lightly.

'What?' Snape inquired.

'I don't have Galleons. I didn't know my dress could be ready so fast,' Abby said.

'I could p…' Snape began to say, but Remus interrupted him with a cuff behind the head, à la Gibbs.

'That is real bad luck, Severus! I'll write a list for you with all the bad things to avoid,' Remus said.

'Oh,' a very, very surprised Snape said. 'Thank you, Remus.'

Abby and McGonagall traded looks.

Snape turned to them and said, 'I noticed that I'm using his name now when the Malfoy elves served the second course.'

'Goodie,' Abby said with a bright smile.

The seamstress cleared her throat.

'I'm afraid I'll have to hop by London to change some Muggle money. If Sev Apparates me, it shouldn't take too long,' Abby said.

'I can give you the invoice, Miss, and you can send us your owl with a payment pouch,' the seamstress declared.

Abby turned to Snape and asked, 'Can I borrow a school owl?'

'You can't, but I can. Unless Remus says that I can't because that'd be bad luck, in which case he'll be the one to visit the Owlery,' Snape said.

Grinning impudently, Remus said, 'You can do that. You'll be the one getting your fingers bitten.'

'I can't picture Hogwarts owls biting Professor Snape,' the seamstress said.

'Then you're wrong. There are a few of the damn beasts that regularly try to turn my fingers into treats,' Snape sighed.

The seamstress blinked. She gave Abby the box that contained the dress and slipped the invoice under the grey ribbon; she flicked her wand over the box, and it turned Slytherin green.

'For good luck?' Abby asked.

'No, it's the tradition for bondings in Hogwarts,' she explained. 'The box is spelled the colours of the bridegroom's house.'

Abby thanked the witch, and they all left the shop.

'Can I carry the box, Mummy?' Harry asked.

'It's too heavy, Bunny,' she said.

'No!' the boy protested.

'Perhaps I can help,' Snape said in a whisper as he took his wand.

Abby winked at her fiancé and told Harry, 'All right, Bunny. You'll have to tell us if it's too heavy, okay?'

'Okay, Mummy,' Harry said obediently.

By the time Harry got hold of the box, it was already spelled to be very light. The boy only had to deal with the size of it.

'It's too big, Bunny,' Snape said.

Harry frowned; he wanted to carry the box back to their carriage. His magical instincts took over, and he put a spell of his own on the box that made it float in front of him.

'How cute is that?' Abby said softly.

Snape smiled at her.

'Erm… perhaps it'd be better that _you_ cast a spell on the box to make it float,' McGonagall suggested to Snape.

'Why?' he wondered.

'It's not good for young children to channel magic through their fingers,' McGonagall answered.

'Does it hurt their magic?' Abby asked.

'Wizards and witches must learn to use a wand,' the old witch explained.

'Okay, I get it that you guys need a wand for complicated spells and charms and stuff, but is it _bad_ for Harry's magic to make a box float?' Abby asked.

McGonagall blinked at that.

'We're educated to limit our instinctive magic when we're children. I remember my mother telling me to not cast spells without a wand,' Remus declared.

'So did mine,' Snape added.

'It's a tradition in our community,' McGonagall said.

'But is it because it's really bad for your magic, or because it's such an old tradition that you see no other possible way?' Abby asked.

The two adult wizards and the witch didn't know what to say.

'Okay, I'll go to my place to call Ruby, and if she doesn't know, I'll e-mail Cynthia,' Abby said.

Harry beamed and kept a steady spell on the box.

They'd almost reached the carriage when an old wizard noticed the floating box. The man saw that there was the Head of Slytherin and a young woman with a magical engagement ring; he bowed very elegantly.

Abby curtseyed.

The old wizard was absolutely delighted with the young Muggle's manner.

'May you know a thousand years of happiness,' the man said.

'Aw, bless you!' Abby said.

The wizard walked away, and the Hogwarts group boarded the carriage.

'Who was that man?' Remus inquired.

'I don't know him,' McGonagall said.

'He's a Slytherin,' Snape declared. 'I could probably find him in the House Book.'

'How d'you know he's one of us?' Harry asked.

Snape smiled and said, 'There are signs. You'll learn them with time.'

'Okay, Daddy,' Harry said obediently.

'Bunny,' Remus said gently.

'Yes, goddaddy?' Harry said.

Snape groaned, but Abby and McGonagall smiled. Draco and Harry were picking up habits from each other, as if they were related, which they were only through magic.

'You do remember that there are four houses in Hogwarts. You could end up being sorted into a house other than Slytherin,' Remus explained.

'No,' Harry declared.

'No?' McGonagall intervened.

'No… Miss Alicia told me how the sort'hat is working, and when it's my turn to be sorted, it'll tell it where I want to go. I'll stay with Daddy and Mummy,' Harry said.

'Sorting Hat, Harry,' Snape corrected him.

The boy nodded.

McGonagall didn't want to break his heart by telling him that that wasn't how it worked; therefore, she said nothing.

Snape knew what his former teacher, and now colleague, was thinking, and he didn't want to tell her that students have been known to influence the Sorting Hat.

The thestrals were trotting into the Hogwarts grounds when Abby asked Snape if it'd a good thing to invest in an owl for their family. Hagrid was harvesting strawberries nearby, and he overheard them; he didn't know what to get the Snapes for their Bonding, and that gave him an idea – all the more since Snape told his fiancée that they had other things to do before the Bonding ceremony than shop for an owl.

As soon as they reached their quarters, Abby asked Greenli to store her bonding dress in the wardrobe.

Abby took her invoice with her as she walked into her Washington flat and called Ruby Rae.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	60. Chapter 60

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The Auror/Agent Apparated into Abby's flat.

'I can't stay for too long, I'm helping Tim with some paperwork,' Rae declared.

'Paperwork on a Saturday? Is that the new codename for a date?' Abby joked.

Rae's cheeks coloured a bit. 'It really is paperwork, Abbs. Umbridge's fine is ready to be transferred to his account,' she explained.

'Is there a lot of paperwork involved for such a thing?' Abby inquired.

'Not at all, but he doesn't want to keep that money, and I'm helping him choose a Wizarding charitable association,' Rae said.

'That's nice of him,' Abby commented.

'He doesn't feel that she was a threat, but she was,' Rae said.

'He can be that stubborn, but he's sweet,' Abby said.

Rae smiled at that. 'What can I do for you?' she inquired.

'Well, two things, actually,' Abby said.

She told Rae what happened when Harry made the box float, and she asked Rae what she thought of the situation.

Rae took a deep breath that sounded a lot like a sigh.

'You've got to understand that we have different magical traditions all around the globe,' Rae began to explain. 'What you'll see in the UK isn't what you'd see on the continent. In Switzerland, for example, you'll never see a wizard or a witch use a wand before they're teens. To give you other examples, in Kenya, they use staves that they have to make after they've completed their training, and in some parts of Asia, witches use fans while wizards resort to daggers, swords or sabres.'

'Then it's just a tradition that made Minerva suggest that Harry stop using his fingers to cast spells. My baby isn't going to lose his magic if he keeps doing that, right?' Abby asked.

'Let me show you something,' Rae said.

With her hand, she summoned a glass paperweight that was on a shelf, then she made it float back.

'Now, look,' she said as she took her wand out.

She summoned again the same object, which flew to her somewhat faster.

'From the moment I showed signs of magic, there was no way to stop me. I'm faster with a wand because my teachers taught me to focus on it, and the spells and charms come out concentrated, if you want, but I'm an Auror today, and I've always channelled magic the way Harry does now,' Rae said.

'Sev is half convinced that the place of birth is unrelated to the flow of magic. Could there be some geographical explanation for the tradition? I'd hate myself if I encourage Harry to use his gift, and he ends up a Squib,' Abby said.

Rae smiled, thinking that Abby was a good mum.

'I'll contact my History of Magic teacher, and I'll give you his point of view, but I really think this is some historical tradition,' Rae said.

'Thank you!' Abby said happily. 'Oh! Do you think the resident Hogwarts History teacher might help me?'

Rae snorted and said, 'No offence, but that ghost has a reputation all around the globe.'

Abby sighed.

'What's the other thing you want to ask me?' Rae inquired.

'Oh! I've got the invoice for my Bonding dress, and I was wondering about all the ways there are to pay it. Do I have to take Muggle money to Gringotts and have it converted there?' she asked.

'A few local banks are affiliated with the Wizarding bank here. Where's your account?' Rae asked in her turn.

The Auror laughed softly when Abby told her the name of her bank because it was the first Muggle branch that the Wizarding bank had opened in Washington.

'If you go to the fifth teller from the right, he'll pay the invoice for you,' Rae explained.

'Brilliant!' Abby said happily.

'If you make an appointment with them, they'll tell you what they can do for you as the future wife of a wizard,' Rae said.

Abby grinned.

'May I see your invoice?' Rae asked. 'I've never ordered dresses abroad.'

Abby handed her the piece of parchment.

Rae frowned as she converted the Galleons into her local Wizarding currency, and then into dollars.

'Is it too expensive?' Abby asked. 'I think Minerva would have told me if the seamstress was being unfair.'

'Frchhhhhhhh,' Rae squeaked, or something.

'Want to buy a vowel?' Abby joked.

Rae cleared her throat and said, 'Hell, Abbs, if you didn't get a discount because you're bonding with the Head of Slytherin, I'm going to start shopping there! That's about three hundred dollars for a fairy silk dress! And black! It's the most difficult hue to get!'

'Whoa!' Abby said. She gave the situation a thought and said, 'You know, I think Sev would have said something if the price had been unusual.'

'You have a point! So… do you mind if I borrow your seamstress?' Rae asked.

'Be my guest!' Abby said.

They hugged, and Rae Disapparated back to McGee's.

Abby went back to Hogwarts.

'That was fast,' Snape commented.

Abby told him everything Rae had said. Snape was delighted to hear that Abby's bank would grant her some independence, and then he suggested that there might be books on History of Magic that might explain the local tradition. Abby went up to the library; there, she got a group of Ravenclaws to help her find what she needed.

'I don't imagine you've got a copy-machine,' Abby said the students once she'd found what she was looking for.

'A what?' a wizard of full Wizarding heritage asked.

'A device that copies the text, silly!' a witch of his age said. 'It might be a Muggle machine, but the name is a no-brainer.' She turned to Abby and said, 'We have a spell for that, Ma'am. What page or pages would you like to have?'

'Call me Abby, and I just need this one,' Abby said, pointing at a specific page.

'Really?' the witch asked. 'I'd never dare use your name…'

'I'm not your teacher,' Abby pointed out.

'Yes, but you're bonding with one,' the witch said to explain her reaction.

'Well, if you want to call me Abby, you can,' she said.

The group of Ravenclaws smiled shyly.

The young witch cast the spell that copied the page that Abby wanted to show Snape. Abby thanked her and went back to her quarters. Snape wasn't there; therefore she went to his office.

Greenli was teaching Harry music in a corner of the room, while Snape had one eye on his parchments and the other on his son.

'Hey, Sev, I think I've got the answer to our question, and you're not going to like it,' Abby said as she walked in.

'Why?' Snape asked as he pushed his chair away from his desk to allow Abby to sit on his lap.

'Because it's because Slytherin wanted to limit the access children from Muggle families had to magic. I found an account of what happened,' she said as she gave him the copied parchment.

Snape read it quickly.

'It makes sense,' Abby went on. 'He tells Wizarding parents that it's better to have magic channelled only through wands so that kids from Muggle families can look like freaks in the Muggle world when they show signs of magic – and since they don't get Hogwarts letters before they're about eleven, then he was planning to naturally reduce the number of wizards and witches who he didn't deem good enough. His lie was forgotten, but the practice remained.'

Snape nodded.

'Erm… can you do some magic to make sure that Harry's not going to hurt his magic?' Abby asked.

'Mother-hen!' Snape said.

Abby pouted and tickled him briefly.

Snape took his wand and spelled an old jar into a small hourglass. Its sand wasn't falling.

'There. If Harry's magic fluctuates, the sand will start falling, and if I cast the spell correctly, an alarm should go off,' Snape said.

'And I'm the mother-hen!' Abby snorted.

'What do you mean?' Snape asked.

'You didn't come up with a spell like that in ten seconds. You've been giving this a serious thought,' Abby pointed out.

Snape glared at her.

'Not working on me, remember?' she teased him.

'All right, I'm a mother-hen, too,' he admitted.

She pecked her fiancé's lips and got up.

'What do you say we all go feed the squid?' Abby suggested.

Snape let Abby and Harry convince him, and Greenli followed them after a detour by the kitchen to get treats for the squid.

The rest of the weekend was remarkably uneventful, unless Abby sharing the Slytherin story with as many people as possible counts.

On Monday morning, DiNozzo came to Abby's lab to gossip.

'Hey, Abbs, did you hear about McGee and Ruby?' DiNozzo asked as he hopped onto the empty evidence table.

'I've heard nothing, Tony; I've been working here since I arrived,' Abby said.

'Well, the two lovebirds spent the weekend together,' DiNozzo said in pseudo-conspiratorial tones.

Abby turned around to face him, and she glared.

DiNozzo put his foot deeper in his mouth when he said, 'Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!'

'Tony!' Abby growled as she went to Gibbs-smack him. 'I hadn't noticed that you have memory problems. I'm sure there's a potion for that.'

'What do you mean?' DiNozzo asked.

'I'm getting married next month, so why should I care what McGee and Ruby do?' Abby said.

DiNozzo blinked several times and said, 'Right.'

'Besides, you should know better than gossip about friends… for two reasons,' Abby said.

'Two?' DiNozzo asked.

'First, it's really gossip because I happen to know that Ruby helped Tim with something related to the Umbridge trial,' she said.

'Oh,' he said.

'And, Tony… you may be a wizard in training now, and Minerva says you're quite good, but Ruby is an astounding _Auror_, and I don't think even Ziva would be able to help you,' Abby said.

The look on DiNozzo's face told Abby that he hadn't thought that far. Abby smirked as DiNozzo realized that teasing McGee might well be off the menu now.

Gibbs came into the lab. 'New case. Abby, be ready; DiNozzo, go grab your gear and get the car,' he said.

The new case turned out to be a very simple, and the rest of September was admiringly quiet.

Of course, it couldn't last.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	61. Chapter 61

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The first odd thing was an unexpected visit to NCIS.

McGee had decided to donate the Galleons that Umbridge's trial had allotted him to the association that helped the families of Aurors who'd died in mission. Thankfully, there weren't too many orphans, widows and widowers, but the association needed all the help it could get.

It turned out that the money that McGee gave them was just what a young widow needed to keep her house from being seized. Most American Aurors had another job usually related to law enforcement, but the late Auror Lampost was a small farmer, and since he didn't have any Muggle life insurance, his wife had to fend for herself.

The Auror who'd come to tell her about the donation had told her what happened to McGee, and she really wanted to thank the Muggle who'd saved her only refuge. She went to Washington and to the NCIS Headquarters, where she asked to see Agent McGee.

Vance was passing by just then, and he escorted her to the bullpen, where he made the introductions.

'Perhaps there's a quieter place where I could speak with you, Agent McGee,' Cornelia Lampost said in a whisper.

'You don't have to worry about my Muggle colleagues overhearing, Ma'am; Auror Rae has placed a Permanent Filtering charm around our work area. We can talk about magic freely,' McGee declared as he offered his visitor a seat.

'Oh!' Cornelia said as she blushed brightly.

'Are you all right?' a concerned Ziva asked.

The young widow nodded. 'I didn't feel the spell. I'm not a very good witch, you see,' she said.

'Tony didn't feel the spell either, you know,' Ziva pointed out.

DiNozzo pouted, which made Cornelia smile.

'What did you want to tell me, Mrs Lampost?' McGee asked gently.

'I had nothing left but our house, and I can keep it, thanks to you. I just had to Apparate here to thank you, and…' her voice trailed off, and she blushed again.

'Yes?' McGee encouraged her.

'I know you're not a wizard, but you're doing an Auror job. I have a Protection stone that I'd like to give you,' Cornelia said.

'That's very kind of you, but I'd hate to deprive you of a magical object,' McGee told her.

'It's a tradition, McGee,' DiNozzo whispered.

Cornelia blushed again.

McGee looked at DiNozzo, who nodded fervently to encourage him to accept the gift.

The stone looked like a black bead on a string, and it could be worn like a necklace. McGee thanked his visitor and made her promise to keep in touch and not hesitate to contact him if she needed help with anything at the farm.

Rae joined them right then, and she said that she didn't mind Apparating McGee to the Lampost farm if Cornelia called them. Rae escorted Cornelia out to show her a quiet spot from which to Disapparate.

'Hey, Tony, do you think Ruby would like the stone?' McGee asked.

'Yes, if you want to marry her,' DiNozzo answered. 'Do you remember when I said that even when you just propose you're as good as married here?'

'Vividly,' McGee answered.

'Well, you see, if you give an Auror anything protection-related, it's like giving him or her an engagement ring,' DiNozzo explained.

'Then I'd better keep it,' McGee said.

'You'll need to have it activated for it to work. Perhaps one of our British friends could do that for you,' DiNozzo explained.

'Tony, can Wizarding people bond whatever their genders are?' Ziva inquired.

'Yes, the Wizarding community is quite different from the Muggles. It was a question of survival in the beginning, and then we realized that there's a bit of _everything_ in humanity – even if the fringe who's accepting more kinds of commitments is only the one that has magical powers. Triads and clusters are legal, too. There are creatures who can bond with wizards or witches, as well,' he answered.

'Since I don't have the slightest interest in you, and I'm a Muggle, could you activate the stone for me?' McGee asked DiNozzo.

DiNozzo was obviously touched that his friend trusted him to do that.

'I… I'm not trained enough for that, but I'll ask Minerva tonight. That okay with you?' DiNozzo asked.

McGee smiled and said, 'Perfect, thanks!'

DiNozzo didn't forget to ask his magical mentor if she could help with the Protection stone, but it was only because Ziva was with him to remind him to ask McGonagall.

Actually, DiNozzo's memory wasn't poor, and it wasn't that he didn't care.

No.

DiNozzo was deeply troubled by the fact that the time difference was no longer what it had been between his corner of the world and Hogwarts.

Once McGonagall told her adult student that she'd be delighted to help with McGee's stone, DiNozzo started asking her tons of questions.

'This is weird. What do you think is going on?' he wondered.

'Well, several guestrooms appeared in various parts of the castle over the past few days. I think that the magic in Hogwarts is getting ready for the Bonding ceremony,' McGonagall explained.

'So, Hogwarts is sprouting extra rooms for the guests, and to make it easier for the American guests, it's reducing the time difference? How is that possible?' DiNozzo asked.

McGonagall grinned.

'Tony! We've got a door opening on two continents. If the castle wants to change things, then it's changing things,' Ziva declared philosophically.

DiNozzo shrugged, but the changes were bothering him a bit for no logical reason.

A week before the Bonding ceremony, the door between the two time zones was synchronizing the two areas; when Abby left her Hogwarts quarters at eight in the morning, she now stepped into her NCIS lab at the exact same time.

McGee ended up with a splendid headache as he tried to understand how that worked.

Snape wondered if there was something else, other than the Bonding to explain the change, but he couldn't come up with any logical explanation – _yet_.

The guests arrived at Hogwarts in the late afternoon of the day before the ceremony.

The Malfoys were the first to arrive with Draco. Draco knew that something important was going on, and he wanted to play with his _Cousin_ Harry.

Seeing Draco, or even the Malfoys, in the corridors wasn't unusual for the Hogwarts students now, but when the American guests started arriving, the pupils – especially the youngest ones – could no longer contain their excitement.

Director Vance came with his wife and children. The Vance children were welcomed by a group of Gryffindors, and as soon as they all promised to be careful, the children went outside to play games.

Auror Milly and his family Portkeyed to Hogsmeade and walked to the castle, where Remus Lupin welcomed them and showed them around.

Jackson Gibbs had met the Sciutos en route to Washington, and the five of them had invaded NCIS together. Abby was absolutely delighted to see her parents and her brother and sister; she was also delighted that Snape's adopted father had made the trip, too.

Snape had been given the day off to prepare for his Bonding; of course, he'd protested that he was ready, but Dumbledore told him that it was the custom, and McGonagall had told him that it'd be nice to help his fiancée with all their guests because Abby did not have her Friday off.

Jackson was the first to use the door in Abby's lab to go to Hogwarts. Abby's parents and siblings stayed a bit longer with her.

'How are you, son?' Jackson asked Snape as if he really were his.

'Fine, thank you. And you?' Snape said.

'Good, thanks,' Jackson answered. 'I'm very happy for you, Severus; now, would you tell me how you really are?'

Snape smiled. 'I'm really fine. Tomorrow, Abigail and I will be with our family and friends, and we'll have an astounding party, thanks to the house-elves. The Bonding spell that we'll say then is a mere formality – more a reason to gather our friends around us than anything else. I gave Abigail my heart, and a spell isn't going to change anything. You're not the first who thinks that I should be in a state of panic,' he said.

'Well, if you panic a bit before the ceremony, which wouldn't be unheard of, I keep a flask of bourbon in my back-pocket, and you'll just have to ask for it,' Jackson said.

'I'll be fine. Tomorrow, I'm just officially telling the entire world what Abigail means to me,' Snape said.

'Right,' Jackson said with a small smile. 'And where's my grandson?'

'Running around with Draco,' Snape said. He snapped his fingers, and a house-elf answered his call. 'Go and see where my son is, and report to us,' he told the house-elf.

The elf nodded and obeyed. When he came back, he said, 'Master Harry are on the Quidditch pitch watching the training.'

'Thank you,' Snape said.

The elf bowed and disappeared.

'We can go see him later, if you want,' Snape said.

'I think the Sciutos are going to join us very soon. We could go with them,' Jackson suggested.

Someone knocked on the door that opened on the Hogwarts corridor before Snape could answer his adopted father.

'Come in!' Snape called.

Pomfrey walked in and greeted Jackson.

'Please, don't tell me that you're here to ask me how I feel,' Snape told the resident Mediwitch.

'I'm here to see your future parents-in-law,' Pomfrey said.

'Oh… they're still in Abby's lab,' Snape declared.

'I'll be right back,' Pomfrey said as she went to take a magical badge.

She walked into Abby's lab, where she was introduced to the other Sciutos. Pomfrey was a bit surprised that Harry's cousins weren't with them, but Abby's sister explained that they were at an age where they wouldn't keep magic secret, and they couldn't risk having them tell their Muggle friends that their new uncle is a real wizard. They were staying with their godmother for the weekend, and they were thrilled by such an adventure.

'Why did you hop to our side? Do we need some magical vaccination?' Abby's brother asked Pomfrey.

Pomfrey smiled and shook her head. 'No, I've found a spell with a forty-eight hour effect that your parents might like to try,' she explained.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	62. Chapter 62

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

The Sciutos asked what the spell did.

'It's really simple. That spell will allow you to hear, in your head, what's going on around you, though it won't be like _hearing_ with your ears; you'll _understand_ everything thanks to magic because the spell will have the words actually make sense. It's an odd fringe of magic," Pomfrey explained. "And at the same time, it will allow us to hear your words when you sign. I don't mean to change you; I'm offering this to be practical. You can be independent in Hogwarts – and you'll hear the ceremony."

Abby's mother started nodding furiously the instant Pomfrey had finished her explanation. The Mediwitch cast the spell and said that it'd start fading sometime Sunday afternoon; the Sciutos would be heading back to their home then.

Pomfrey retreated to Hogwarts with Abby's parents and siblings.

The Hogwarts guests were entertained by the staff and students, while the NCIS team was finishing work for the week. Had anything happened in the late afternoon, there was another NCIS team to take over.

The great Hall was buzzing that evening. The students were overexcited – as were a few of the adults. There was something about Abby and Snape's Bonding that made everybody happy.

Mrs Milly, a Muggle-born witch, started a brand new conversation that fascinated everybody when she inquired where the young couple would go for their honeymoon.

Leon Vance chuckled because he was among the few who knew about it.

'We'll go to Japan for Christmas,' Abby answered.

'Oh!' McGee squealed.

'What?' Rae asked in a whisper.

McGee blushed a bit, and Snape took pity on the young agent and said, 'I promised Harry to take him where the Totoro live.'

'And I'm ready to try to spot one!' Abby added.

'You're no longer a little girl, Abigail,' Snape objected.

'And she's a Muggle,' Dumbledore pointed out.

'A Muggle who produced sparks with your wand,' Ducky reminded his companion.

Before they could add anything on the topic, Argus Filch entered the Great Hall with the last two foreign guests.

Cynthia LaRochelle, Abby's childhood friend, and Cecily Devane, Vance's cousin, joined the party. Vance was a bit surprised to discover that his cousin was dating Cynthia, but Mrs Vance knew it and welcomed Cynthia as if she were already a member of their family.

After dinner, the students were sent back to their respective houses, and Harry and the visiting children were sent to bed with house-elves to watch over them.

The adults divided into groups and retreated to private quarters to keep chatting. Snape and Abby managed to escape to their quarters after escorting the Sciutos and the Gibbses to Pince's; there, the librarian was planning to entertain the visitors – and her boyfriend. Jackson hoped that Gibbs would propose to Pince very soon. The old man wanted his two sons to be happy – and both had had tortured pasts.

Snape made sure to lock their door with a powerful spell, once they'd made it safely to their home.

'Remus isn't going to barge in here because we're not supposed to spend the night together, right?' Abby asked.

Snape shook his head.

'Are you all right, Sweetie?' she inquired.

He chuckled warmly and protested, 'Not you, too, Abigail!'

She chuckled in her turn. 'Sorry, Honey,' she said as she slithered into his arms.

He hugged her and said, 'I want to bond with you, my witch, but I must admit that I like Hogwarts better when things are quieter. Though I must say that quiet became a relative notion since I rescued Bunny and I met you.'

'Are you telling me that we're more difficult to deal with than Riddle and his fan club?' she asked with a merry chuckle.

'When I was spying for the Order, I could sleep at night,' he joked.

'Brat!' she said, as she pushed him towards their bedroom.

'May I know what you're planning to do, Miss Sciuto?' he said, as he let her have her way with him.

'I'm planning to commit one last sin before we tie the knot tomorrow,' she said.

'It's a good thing that Bunny is spending the night with his Dada Jackson,' Snape declared.

They proceeded to undress each other.

They were completely relaxed, completely in their bubble – a place where NCIS work and Hogwarts duties wouldn't interfere. That night, even their son wasn't on their minds; Harry was with his magically adopted relatives, _and_ Greenli had instructions to take care of him.

Severus and Abby were floating on the cloud of their love.

Before they fell asleep, holding each other, Snape looked at his fiancée and said, 'I'm in love with you, Abigail.'

'And I with you, Sev,' she whispered against his lips, right before she gave him a kiss that made his heart explode in fireworks of happiness.

Entangled, they drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, Remus undid Snape's spell on the door, which was not too difficult since he was quite a good wizard and an excellent Defence instructor.

According to tradition, the fiancés could sleep together before the ceremony, but it was a good omen if they didn't wake up in the same bed, which was a strange tradition.

To help his friends, and because he believed in that tradition-superstition, Remus cast a spell on the couple sleeping in the bedroom, and only then did he enter the room. It would have been easier to carry Abby to her parents' rooms, but Remus was convinced that, in spite of everything Snape said, the stoic Slytherin Potions master would freak out like a first-year if he were to wake up in his room and Abby were no longer by his side.

Remus left a note for Abby between the pillows and wizardnapped Snape. He took his friend to his quarters and deposited him on his bed. Snape woke up, in spite of the spell, the moment his head touched a pillow that wasn't his.

'Go back to sleep, Severus. You still have a few more hours before sunrise,' Remus said softly.

Snape understood what Remus had done. 'Thank you,' he said softly.

'Perhaps it's just superstition, but better safe than sorry,' Remus said as he started to retreat towards his parlour.

'Where are you going? This is your bed, Remus,' Snape said.

'The sofa is very comfortable,' Remus protested feebly.

'Don't be asinine, Lupin. You can expand your bed with a spell, if you're afraid that I might molest you,' Snape growled as he patted a spot next to him.

'I thought you wouldn't want to be so close to me,' Remus confessed.

'Don't worry. I'll hex if you come too close,' Snape said.

However, in his sleep, Snape moved towards the warm person next to him, and when Abby came to reclaim her fiancé, he was cuddling Remus.

Remus looked at Abby and mouthed, "Help!"

Abby laughed heartily, which woke Snape. Snape got up, while Abby pecked Remus's brow.

'Breakfast's ready in our parlour. Come and join us, Remus,' she said.

He looked at Snape, who nodded.

When Remus, Snape and Abby entered the parlour on the other side of the corridor, Harry was on the sofa, having breakfast with the Sciutos. Nana Sciuto was teaching sign language to her grandson.

'Abigail,' Snape whispered, 'you'll have to teach me that language. I want to be able to chat with your parents.'

She nodded.

Mr Sciuto had heard his future son-in-law, and he smiled at him warmly.

'_Harry is a sponge for knowledge_,' Mrs Sciuto praised her grandson.

Harry grinned happily.

'Just like Abby at that age, according to Dad,' Abby's brother said.

Abby hugged her little brother, as Snape smiled. Blood was far from being everything; love was so much more important. Their little Harry was a Potter, a Snape, a Sciuto and a Gibbs, too.

'Looks like you'll have to teach Bunny and his daddy,' Abby's sister told her. 'You can't always rely on magic.'

'_It'll be less conspicuous when you come see us_,' Mr Sciuto pointed out.

'Indeed,' Snape agreed.

Harry frowned at the adjective used by his Dada Sciuto, and Abby explained what it meant.

Right after breakfast, they all went to get ready for the ceremony.

All the guests gathered.

The ceremony was to take place in the Great Hall, and exceptionally, all breakfasts had been served in quarters and common rooms. Half the house-elves brought food to the residents, while the other half prepared the Hall.

Slytherin banners decorated the room, and the long tables had been spelled out of the hall – after the ceremony, the house-elves would magically bring smaller tables, each of which would sit eight guests.

The foreign guests formed the first circles, and then the teachers and students mixed together. The four houses were all together, mixed, and ready to give their blessings to the future couple.

'How does this work?' McGee asked Rae in a whisper.

'We're all in circles to give protection to the couple. Today it's a symbol, but in the beginning it was to keep the ritual secret. Together, Abby and Severus will join us, and then he'll cast a special spell to determine who will perform the ceremony,' she answered.

McGee nodded.

The doors opened and the Great Hall instantly became silent.

Harry ran into the room and said, 'They're coming!'

Everybody chuckled, and Harry ran to Ziva, who picked him up and pecked his cheek.

A moment later, Snape and Abby walked into the room. Their outfits matched perfectly; they looked a bit as if they were straight from the nineteenth century, but they were radiant.

Like a huge wave, their guests parted, and the couple walked to the centre of the Great Hall.

Severus and Abby stood face to face. He took his wand to cast the spell that would start the ceremony, and to everybody's surprise, he intertwined his fingers with Abby's around his wand, and only then did he cast the spell.

The spell produced a bead of light that flew around the hall. The light ignored the students, though it briefly stopped near Alicia Sympo, which made everybody smile.

The spell didn't choose a student or a fellow of the groom. The light landed on DiNozzo's head.

'I knew I was right to convince him to wear Wizarding robes,' McGonagall whispered to Pomfrey.

DiNozzo was gaping.

'Sometime before the next century would be nice, Tony,' the groom said with a bright smile.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	63. Chapter 63

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

DiNozzo looked at his mentor briefly, and McGonagall nodded once to encourage him. Ziva took his hand just long enough to squeeze it.

His grandmother had taught him rituals for Bonding ceremonies. Wizarding people can be invited to perform a ceremony – and if they want to bond privately, they have to know the words, too.

It would be the first time that DiNozzo did magic other that in training with McGonagall or Rae. He was the one designated by magic to perform this Bonding, and it moved him more than he would have thought.

DiNozzo took a deep breath. He got his wand out of its sheath, and he walked to stand in front of the bonding couple.

Loudly, he asked, 'Is there anyone here who objects to the ceremony?'

The silence was deafening.

The groom and his bride smiled at each other.

'Since all guests here are in favour of the bonding of Abigail Sciuto and Severus Snape, I invite the Wizarding people to cast any Bonding spell or charm they want to give them, and the non-Wizarding guests can have positive thoughts for them, or say a prayer,' DiNozzo said.

A few Muggles looked perplex about that.

'On a day like this, _everything_ is magical, and Muggle thoughts will be incorporated into the magic,' DiNozzo explained.

Wands swirled, while the Muggles sent thoughts of love.

A whirlwind of magic wrapped around the young couple. It looked as if they were glittering.

DiNozzo turned to the groom and asked, 'Severus, do you wish to bond with Abigail, and make her your companion?'

'Yes, I do,' Snape answered.

DiNozzo flicked his wand and produced a magical ribbon that floated to the groom and tied itself to his left wrist.

'Abigail,' DiNozzo went on, 'do you wish to bond with Severus, and make him your companion?'

'Yes, I do,' she declared.

For years, she'd really thought that marriage meant nothing, but getting magically married to her Sev was the best thing in the world, the best thing in the universe.

DiNozzo flicked his wand again, and another ribbon tied itself to Abby's left wrist.

'Hold hands,' DiNozzo told the Bonding couple.

They obeyed and even intertwined their fingers.

'The bond you're starting today is not eternal. No magic can force a couple to remain bonded. You shall have to work on your bond, your link, your relationship each and every day until one of you dies, or until you agree to dissolve the spell,' DiNozzo declared seriously. 'Do you promise to love and respect each other?' he asked them.

Snape and Abby traded looks, squeezed their hands and, as one, said, 'Yes.'

DiNozzo smiled widely and proceeded to magically tie the two ribbons together around the couple's wrists. The new wizard was quite proud to see his spell make the ribbons form an intricate pattern and tie together quite artistically.

When the ends tied together in a tight knot, DiNozzo's spell made the ribbons dissolve into thin air, which made the magical blessings melt into the bonded couple.

The instant the last particle of magic disappeared into Snape and Abby, DiNozzo announced, 'The knot is tied. I give you Professor Severus Snape and Mrs Abigail Snape.'

'Blessed be!' shouted the guests.

The house-elves used their magic to make flower petals fall on the newly-bonded couple.

Everybody applauded.

A piece of parchment appeared out of thin air, and DiNozzo sighed with relief. It meant that the Ministry had registered the Bonding, and everything was as it should be.

Snape had told Abby what to expect, and they took the floating parchment together. When they touched it, it turned into two magical rings; they'd be used to prove the validity of the Bonding, and if they ever wished to break up, the only thing they'd have to do would be to return one of the rings to the Ministry.

Snape put his ring on his wife's ring finger, and she put hers on his ring finger.

'There, Mrs Snape,' Snape whispered fondly.

She was about to start crying – well, her own mother and a few witches were crying already.

Snape knew that she needed a diversion, and he went on to the next stage of the ceremony.

Centuries ago, Bonding ceremonies had been the opportunities to have family reunions at the same time, and it was customary to ask if other couples wanted to announce their future bonding. The Snapes had to ask their guests if anyone intended to bond, too.

'Abigail would you like to ask them?' he inquired.

She nodded and asked, 'Will there be another wedding or bonding soon?'

'Yes.'

Two had spoken.

Ducky turned to face Dumbledore and said, 'If I wait for you to make up your mind, I'll be dead before you propose.'

Dumbledore blinked. He blinked several times.

'Albus… Yes or no?' Ducky asked.

Everybody was looking at them, and the Great Hall was silent again.

Dumbledore was silent, too.

Ducky gulped and began to pale dreadfully.

Gibbs walked to Dumbledore and cuffed the back of the old wizard's head, which made his long hair fly all around him. Gibbs slightly tilted his head and waited for Dumbledore to answer.

Ziva moved towards them; she had her right hand in her pocket, as if she were holding a weapon.

Dumbledore blinked one last time and looked at his boyfriend. 'Are you sure?' he asked.

'Jethro, would you, please, slap the back of his head once more? Hopefully that shall restart his brain,' Ducky said.

Gibbs obeyed his friend, and much to Dumbledore's surprise, McGonagall cuffed him, as well.

'Minerva!' Dumbledore protested.

'Answer him, you, idiot!' McGonagall growled.

'If you're sure… Yes,' Dumbledore said.

'Oh! Don't be asinine, Albus! Ducky's the best thing that ever happened to you, and if you're not nicer to him, and if you don't sound happier about bonding with him, I have boots that I'll polish carefully before kicking you – and I don't mean to aim at your _behind_,' Abby declared seriously.

Remus chuckled; he thought that Abby and Snape were rubbing off on each other.

Everybody heard Dumbledore gulp. The old wizard took one of Ducky's hands and asked, 'Donald, do you really want to bond with me?'

'It would be nice. I'd like to bond with you, which is why I _asked_, Albus. Now, if you don't want that, I'll understand,' Ducky said.

'I didn't think you'd want to marry me. No one has ever wanted to bond with me before,' Dumbledore whispered.

'My dear, if you compare me with _him_,' Ducky spat in a whisper as he referred to his lover's old flame, 'I'll leave you.'

'Ducky… I'd _never_ thought I'd find someone like you. Do you really want me?' Dumbledore asked. His eyes were beginning to twinkle, and a true smile was slowly spreading on his lips.

Ducky chuckled this time and answered, 'I _did_ propose, didn't I?'

'Would you like to marry me on Samhain?' Dumbledore asked.

'Yes!' Ducky almost shouted.

'We'll help you plan whatever you want, Ducky,' Pomfrey declared.

'Thank you, Poppy,' Ducky said.

Dumbledore opened his arms, and Ducky hugged his fiancé.

'Cretin, you frightened me,' Ducky whispered.

'I thought you'd realized I can be silly,' Dumbledore said.

McGonagall snorted.

'Minerva!' Dumbledore protested.

'Hush, Albus! You're a great wizard, but sometimes you're, as the Snapes pointed out at one point or another recently, asinine,' she said.

'I'll keep an eye on you,' Ducky promised as he hugged Dumbledore again.

Dumbledore kissed Ducky's brow, which made the guests coo.

'My, my! Hallowe'en sure is going to be entertaining this year,' DiNozzo said. 'Are we invited?'

'You're all invited, of course,' Dumbledore said.

'Great!' DiNozzo said happily. He turned to Pince and added, 'Now, I think Irma has something to say.'

Pince looked at Gibbs and asked, 'Do you want to bond with me?'

Gibbs grinned.

'I swear to God, Leroy, if you react like Albus, I'm going to hex you to the next millennium,' Pince said.

Jackson Gibbs was on the verge of tears.

Gibbs looked at Abby and Snape, and they understood his silent question. Both nodded.

Then Gibbs turned to DiNozzo and asked, 'Would our bonding be valid even though we didn't contact any officials on either side of the door?'

'There are spells for that, Boss, and according to American law, if you say "yes" here, it's still valid at home. You'd be as good as bonded,' DiNozzo answered.

Gibbs took Pince's hands in his and said, 'Yes, Irma.'

She beamed and asked, 'When do you want to plan it?'

'Unless there's some taboo or superstition, how about now?' he asked in his turn.

'Tony, get your wand over here,' Pince ordered.

'Me?' DiNozzo squeaked.

'Not you, the Pope, Tony,' Gibbs growled.

'You sure, Boss?' DiNozzo insisted.

One glare from Gibbs brought DiNozzo in front of the second couple.

'Wait!' Jackson said.

'Dad?' Gibbs said.

There was a chain around Jackson's neck, and there was a ring on it.

'Severus gave Abby a ring; you must give Irma one, too,' Jackson said as he gave his son the engagement ring that had been Gibbs's mother's.

Gibbs gave Pince the ring, and then DiNozzo proceeded to perform a second Bonding ceremony.

When it was time for DiNozzo to present the new couple, Pince declared that she was keeping her name, and DiNozzo introduced "Special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Mrs Irma Pince".

When the Ministry parchment appeared for Gibbs and Pince, DiNozzo started breathing normally again – messing up Gibbs's Bonding spells would have been lethal for DiNozzo.

A double ceremony could mean bad luck according to a few Muggle traditions, and Mrs Sciuto was slightly worried.

Cecily Devane took a step forward and declared, 'By bonding on the same day, thanks to the same wizard, Jethro and Severus can become brothers officially.'

'How?' Gibbs inquired.

'You have to acknowledge each other as brothers. The High magic contained in the walls would make it possible,' Cecily explained.

'Oh! I'd love to see that!' Flitwick declared, which made everybody smile.

'And if Jackson wants to claim Severus as his; that's possible, too,' Cecily added.

Jackson, Gibbs and Snape traded looks. It didn't take them long to make up their minds.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	64. Chapter 64

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'What do we have to do?' Gibbs asked.

'Follow your heart,' Pince told her husband.

Abby pecked Snape's cheek and pushed him gently towards her boss.

Gibbs and Snape walked to stand in front of each other and… they hugged.

They whispered in each other's ear, 'You're my brother.'

They'd been so much in harmony that they looked at each other and smiled.

Jackson was next to them now. He cupped Gibbs and Snape's cheeks and said, 'You're my sons. Both of you.'

Hogwarts started to vibrate. It was nothing like an earthquake; it was like being in a moving vehicle, except that you were in a castle.

The Four Founders had created Hogwarts in such a way that vows and solemn oaths activated High magic.

Jackson and his sons could feel something reach out for them. It was like being wrapped in happy memories and thoughts of love, and as if they entered your heart to make you happy.

Snape and Gibbs hugged their father, and the effects of the spell dissipated gradually.

'That was cool!' a first-year said softly.

The Great Hall was so quiet that everybody heard him.

'I'll explain in class how that worked,' Flitwick declared.

The Charm professor looked nearly as happy as Jackson and his sons, which made everybody smile and chuckle.

Milly elbowed Rae and said, 'I'm glad I'm not working that one!'

'You bet!' Rae agreed.

'What do you mean?' Abby inquired.

'High magic created a full and valid adoption which registered here and back at home. The local Family Department and our own will have to produce papers to prove the link between them – and documents that will work for Muggle agencies, too. I'm glad I was invited! With my luck, I would have been on duty when the paperwork arrived; it's good to skip this one!' Milly explained.

'Sev is really Gibbs's brother and Jackson's son?' Abby insisted.

'Yes, Abbs,' Rae answered.

'Does that mean that we're Gibbses, too, now?' Abby asked.

'Ah,' Rae said as she started to blush.

Milly came to his colleague's rescue and said, 'Your husband is the son of Jackson Gibbs and the brother of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but the adoption took place after he came of age. Paradoxically, you have Gibbses for father-in-law and brother-in-law, but you're both still Snapes.'

'Oh, my God!' Pince exclaimed.

'What?' Gibbs asked.

'Anything wrong, Irma?' Jackson asked at the same time.

Pince blinked a few times and said, 'Nothing's wrong. I'm _married_, and Severus and Abby are relatives now! What a day!'

Gibbs grinned and pulled his wife into his arms. Pince almost purred.

'I think we should have lunch now,' Dumbledore suggested.

'Yes!' Draco and Harry exclaimed at the same time.

The house-elves began to summon tables, and guests started to sit down. The elves reorganized the table of honour a tad, and Jackson sat between his daughters-in-law and his sons. The oldest Gibbs was so happy that he was grinning like the Cheshire-Cat.

Harry was sitting on his mother's lap, and the boy looked as if he was floating on a cloud.

Lunch was animated and joyful.

McGonagall and Pomfrey were writing a list of things that they'd need for Ducky's wedding.

The house-elves were about to serve coffee for the adult guests when two civil servants came in the Great Hall. The two witches walked straight to the table of honour.

After quick introductions, the American witch said, 'Orientation isn't my forte. We're late because I Portkeyed to London where my colleague offered to guide me.'

Pince chuckled and said, 'You were quite quick.'

The British witch blushed and declared, 'Well, we're both adoption specialists. It didn't take us long to fill in the appropriate documents.'

'Would you join us for coffee or a spot of dessert perhaps?' Jackson said.

The two witches were tickled pink. They accepted gladly.

House-elves summoned two chairs with magic, and they sat near Gibbs.

'We have parchments for each of you,' the American witch said as they distributed scrolls.

'We'll have the Muggle papers sent to you by Owl Post,' the other explained.

There were documents for Gibbs, Pince, Jackson, Abby and Snape.

'Why don't I have one?' a sleepy Harry inquired.

Jackson leant towards Harry right then, which prevented the boy from seeing the two civil servants flinch. 'You're Severus and Abby's baby, Bunny. You're probably on their parchments,' he said.

Harry nodded sleepily.

'Greenli!' Abby called.

'Yes, Mistress?' she answered instantly.

'Harry needs a nap,' Abby said.

Greenli took Harry in her arms and said, 'Come here, Master Bunny. Greenli have a lullaby for you.'

Harry tried to protest, but he couldn't resist his elfish nanny as she put a Sleeping spell on him.

Draco was in no better shape, and Kreacher was already taking him to bed for a well-deserved nap.

As soon as they were gone, Snape turned to the civil servants and asked, 'Why did you flinch?'

The visiting witches traded looks and sighed.

The British civil servant spoke for them, 'Harry is your son, and your Bonding makes your wife his mother, but… he's a Potter. He's not legally included in the High magic that you did today.'

'What's blocking it?' Remus inquired as he came to their table.

The American civil servant tilted her head as she looked at Remus.

'I'm Harry's godfather,' Remus declared.

'The _second_ godfather,' the British civil servant murmured.

Remus moved to stand right in front of that witch, and he asked, 'Did Sirius do something, or is this standard procedure?'

'He did something,' Snape said.

The British civil servant blushed and looked down.

Snape had read their guest's mind, but, even though Abby didn't have that ability, she came to the next logical conclusion and said, 'Mrs Weasley must have been helping.'

'No,' Remus almost wailed.

'Don't worry, Remus. Black can't take Harry from us,' Snape said.

'And even if there's no legal link, we can always love Harry,' Pince added. 'I love that kid to bits, and from today on, he's my nephew.'

'I'll try to find out if the two idiots can do more damage,' Remus declared.

'No, the only thing that Black could do was to maintain his link with Harry Potter. He can't ask to become his guardian or interfere in any way,' the British civil servant said.

'Considering the brilliant job he did after Lily and James's murders, that's a good thing,' Remus growled. He looked at the witch from the London Ministry and asked, 'Was _Black_ coherent enough to make his claim? I thought he'd be shaken and weak after practically three years in Azkaban.'

'He was pale and slow, but very coherent,' the witch answered.

Remus was wondering how that was possible. Now that he was friends with Snape, the Potions master had told him how it felt to be in Azkaban, and Remus failed to understand how Sirius Black was well enough to take care of ministerial bumph after spending so much time in jail, guarded by Dementors. Then, something that James Potter had said when the three Marauders who weren't a werewolf had learnt to transform into Animagi came back to his mind.

'Tell me, Ma'am, did he register anything else while at the Ministry?' Remus inquired.

'Why, yes… He's discovered that he's an Animagus,' she said.

'More likely, he didn't want anything illegal to be potentially used against him,' Gibbs spat.

'I really hope that that action will have no consequence in Harry's life,' Jackson said.

'He's got us,' Snape and Gibbs said at the same time.

Pince and Abby smiled at that.

Remus went back to his table, but he had a bad feeling. It was nothing in particular, but something bothered him.

There was one student who'd taken to watching Remus, and she added that episode to the list of mysteries to investigate – after all, Tonks wanted to become an Auror. The student was observing her teacher, and she was trying to convince herself that it was because he was an enigmatic man who seemed to have a secret; it could not be because of a silly crush – besides, why would he be interested in her?

Tonks was fighting to control her appearance and not reveal her feelings through her metamorphic abilities. Her fellow Gryffindors knew her well, and if they spotted anything odd, they'd grill her until she confessed whatever was on her mind.

Tonks nearly jumped out of her skin when someone whispered in her ear, 'A word with you, Miss.'

It was Cecily Devane. The reputation of the – true – seer had reached Tonks, and she followed Cecily to a quiet corner of the Great Hall.

'You should follow your instincts,' Cecily said.

'There's something wrong with Professor Lupin, isn't there?' Tonks said.

The seer answered with a question and said, 'Would you say that your magical ability to change the way you look is something wrong?'

Tonks shrugged.

Cecily took the young woman's chin between two fingers and made her look at her.

'Nymph, there will be a day, when you're an Auror, when that gift is going to save your life,' Cecily declared.

'Really?' Tonks asked. Her voice was full of hope.

Cecily smiled and nodded.

Tonks blinked, realized what the seer had told her and said, 'I'm going to make it and become an Auror?!'

'Today, that is the strongest possibility for your career,' Cecily said. 'However, there's something even more important than that in your future.'

Cecily turned to look at Remus, and Tonks did the same.

'He looks afraid, sad, and… and something else,' Tonks murmured as she looked at her Defence teacher.

'Now… that _is_ an interesting mystery,' Cecily said. She turned to go back to her table and her girlfriend; she was a mere yard away when she turned her head to say, 'I'll expect an invitation.'

'To what?' Tonks wondered.

'You'll know when it happens,' the seer answered cryptically.

Tonks thought the other witch wanted to be invited to the ceremony organized when new Aurors are named by the Ministry. She would understand how wrong she was only two years later.

For the moment, Nymphadora Tonks, prospective Auror trainee, started spying on her Defence teacher again.

After lunch, Gibbs and Pince managed to take the French leave, while the Snapes started opening their wedding gifts. The students had made gifts by houses, and Snape's fellows had pooled their Galleons to buy traditional Wizarding items that they knew had been lost in his mother's family; Abby's colleagues and relatives had chosen Muggle gifts.

The most original gift came from Hagrid. He'd bought them an owl; the baby was black and rather young, but eager to learn and please his masters. He'd be Abby's pet, and Snape's postal bird.

'Thanks, Rubeus!' Abby exclaimed as she hugged the half-giant and petted the bird that was perched on her shoulder.

Hagrid blushed madly.

'Thank you, Hagrid,' Snape said. 'He's a gift for Harry, too.'

'I was hoping that yeh'd let me buy one for Harry when he starts school,' Hagrid said.

Snape blinked and said, 'You don't have to spoil him, you know.'

'I know, but I feel bad fer obeyin' Professor Dumbledore and bringin' him the poor tyke the night he ended up with the Muggles,' Hagrid whispered.

Of course, a whisper of Hagrid could be heard down to Hogsmeade.

Ducky elbowed his fiancé and really whispered, 'You see? That's how silly your idea was.'

Dumbledore felt really bad.

Snape looked at Hagrid and said, 'All right, but nothing extravagant.'

Hagrid beamed.

The students left to have fun between themselves, and the adults formed groups that went to different parts of the castle to talk together.

The rest of the day was beautiful, and on Sunday morning, the guests began to head back to their respective homes.

Married life was a bit stranger for Gibbs and Pince, who had planned nothing, than for the Snapes, who had considered that they were linked from the moment they'd first kissed.

Soon enough, life was back to investigating for the NCIS personnel and to teaching for the Hogwarts staff.

Hallowe'en was a beautiful day, and the Bonding of Headmaster Dumbledore and Dr Mallard was fantastic. Dumbledore managed to make his husband forget that he'd frightened him when he proposed. Ducky looked like the happiest man on earth, and the entire school seemed to vibrate with joy.

In spite of hard work on both sides of the magical door in the Snapes' quarters, life was rather quiet.

It was Tonks who brought agitation back into their lives. It was early in December, and it was the morning after the third night of the full moon.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	65. Chapter 65

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Snape was the one who locked Remus in his quarters to make sure that no one would see him in his werewolf form.

The first time that Snape had seen the transformation again, he'd remembered the night in the Shrieking Shack when James Potter had saved him from becoming Remus's next meal. Thanks to the Wolfsbane potion, Remus had been coherent enough to smell his friend's fears and understand what it meant, and he'd retreated to a corner until Snape rationalized that Remus was now a werewolf who can retain his human mind while transformed.

On that particular December day, Snape was expecting to find Remus asleep in the magical cage that they summoned to lock him up when his curse activated. However, Remus was wide awake, and even though the full moon should have released him, he was still in werewolf form.

Snape could tell that Remus was terrified. He understood why when he saw Tonks, fast asleep on the sofa near the cage.

Snape cast a sleeping spell on the student, and only then did he crouch near the cage.

'Transform back, Remus. You can do it now,' Snape said gently.

Remus looked pointedly at their sleeping student, and he shook his head.

'All right, stubborn canine, I'll transport her to our parlour, and I'll ask Abigail to keep an eye on her,' Snape said.

As soon as Snape was gone with the sleeping Tonks in his arms, Remus focussed on the small window that the castle had created for him in his quarters. When the opening had appeared in October, Abby had teased Remus that he must have charmed the castle to get a view – even if it was a small one.

Looking at the tiny corner of pale dawn sky, he began his painful transformation back to human form.

In the meantime, Snape told his wife where he'd found Tonks.

'She's curious and intelligent. She understood what's going on with Remus,' Abby declared quietly.

'When she tells her Gryffindor friends, Remus's time here will be over,' he said.

'Merlin, someone isn't caffeinated yet!' she exclaimed.

'Abigail?' Snape asked.

'She fell asleep next to him. She didn't run back to her house to tell her friends to come and see the caged werewolf. She was guarding him, or keeping him company, but one thing is sure… She wants to protect him. I'll stay with her; go see Remus, he must be freaking out,' she said.

Snape blinked. He was so completely taken aback that he didn't move.

'Sev! Don't leave him alone too long, or the idiot might try to resign,' she pointed out.

That made Snape react, and he jogged back to the other side of the corridor. When he reached Remus's side, the other wizard had just managed to get the spell on the cage off to free himself. Naked, weak and bruised, Remus was trying to drag himself on the floor towards the fireplace, possibly to call Dumbledore or even the Ministry.

'Idiot!' Snape barked.

He picked up his friend and carried him to his bed. He put him under the warm bedcovers, and, as if he were Harry, he tucked him in.

'When the door opened last night, I thought you were checking in on me, but it was Tonks. She knows what I am, Severus,' Remus said softly, as if he were afraid to speak louder.

'Abigail convinced me that the girl will not betray your secret. I know a few spells that would make sure that she keeps her mouth shut, if you want,' Snape said.

'Oh, she's already sworn to keep my secret,' Remus spat.

Tears were forming in his friend's eyes, and Snape didn't understand why. He reverted to old habits and read Remus's mind.

Tonks had told Remus that she'd understood what his problem was not a week after the Snapes' Bonding, but it had taken her a bit of time to manage to go through Snape's Locking spell. She didn't know that he was taking the Wolfsbane, and therefore, she'd poured her heart out and confessed her love. Thinking that she was talking to the average, dumb werewolf, she'd told him everything.

Remus had tried to act dumb in order to fool her, and it seemed to work. She was planning to leave before dawn, but the moment she put her head down on a sofa cushion, she fell asleep.

When Snape arrived, Remus was fighting off his transformation for fear of being forced to face his student in love.

'I must quit, Severus. I'm a werewolf, and a student thinks she's got feelings for me. Working here was just a pretty dream,' Remus said sadly.

'You can't leave, Remus,' Snape declared seriously.

'I'm a threat,' Remus wailed.

Snape shook his friend by the shoulders and growled, 'Are you planning to abandon Harry? He loves you, and he wouldn't understand why his uncle Remus left him. Hell! He's begun to remember Lily and James, and he's terrified to lose any of us. I'll let Abigail and Jethro deal with you before I let you go!'

Remus gasped.

'I'll tell you what. I'm going to Memory-charm Tonks. She won't remember any of this, and we'll make up a lie about an exotic magical disease that you've caught to prevent other students from investigating your condition. That should be enough until I discover a cure for you,' Snape said.

He stood up and looked at Remus as he said, 'If you even think about moving from this bed before I come back with a potion and a spot of breakfast, I'll have Greenli hex you. Got it?'

Remus nodded, and Snape went back to his quarters. There, he woke up Tonks.

'What are you going to do, Sev?' Abby inquired. 'Do you want me to go tell Minerva?'

'There's no need for that,' Snape said.

'I will never betray him,' Tonks promised.

'No, Miss Tonks, you will not,' Snape said. He slowly took his wand and aimed it between Tonks's eyes. '_Obliviate_,' he said.

Tonks fainted.

'Is this normal?' Abby inquired as she checked that Tonks was all right.

'She must have truly loved him,' Snape murmured.

Her husband's voice alone told her how bad he felt for erasing that memory from her.

'Remus would have quit if I hadn't kept my word and Memory-charmed her,' Snape said.

'Sev, if she's serious, the feeling will eventually come back. I'll take care of her, go back to Remus; he's prone to stupid actions and reactions,' Abby said.

Snape pecked his wife's lips and went back to their distraught friend.

Abby called Greenli and asked her to bring breakfast.

Tonks began to stir.

Abby lied and said, 'You overworked yourself, Nymph. We'll give you a few drops of Pepper-up potion, and you'll go back to your house.'

Abby now knew Snape's lab as well as her own, and she went to retrieve a phial of the potion she wanted to give Tonks.

Tonks was crying silently when Abby came back. She went to sit next to the student and hugged her.

'Can I trust you?' Tonks asked Abby between sobs.

'If you're to be an Auror, Nymph, you'll have to trust your instincts,' Abby answered neutrally.

The student looked at her elder and made up her mind. She felt that she could trust Abby – and she needed a confidant.

'Professor Snape's spell didn't work,' she confessed.

'What do you mean?' Abby asked.

'I remember Rem… Professor Lupin's problem, and I still l… have feelings for him,' Tonks admitted.

'Ah,' Abby said.

'Abby?' Tonks said.

'A spell that doesn't work. Now, I'm not a witch, but that has to mean something,' Abby said.

Tonks was rendered speechless.

Abby gave her a few drops of Pepper-up potion; she could see that Tonks was lost in deep thoughts.

'I must go to the library,' Tonks declared.

'Good girl. Don't hesitate to ask Irma to help you,' Abby said.

Tonks gave her a small smile as she stood up. She turned around before leaving the Snapes' quarters and said, 'You're going to tell your husband.'

'I tell him everything, and he needs to know that you remember,' Abby told her.

Tonks nodded and left.

Abby briefly considered going to Remus's quarters to help her husband with the cheering up, but she reflected that the _boys_ probably needed a bit of privacy, and that having a woman around would trouble Remus more than it would help him. She picked up a forensics magazine and waited for her husband to come back.

.

.

.

Snape found Remus with his nose buried in his pillow. He was obviously sobbing, and he was trying to be as silent as possible.

Snape sat next to his friend and instinctively started rubbing Remus's back.

Remus mumbled something unintelligible.

Snape looked into Remus's thoughts. When he understood what Remus had said, instead of rubbing his friend's back, he Gibbs-slapped him.

'Don't ever think that again!' Snape barked.

'Why?!' Remus yelled as he looked at Snape. 'It _would_ have been better if Greyback had killed me.'

Snape had seen in Remus's mind that the downfall of his family, when his parents had given everything they had to try to find a cure, was something that weighed on Remus's soul.

Remus felt terribly lonely, too. His first _friends_, the infamous Marauders, had only accepted him in their posse because he was a Pureblood and a hobby of sorts. He'd been a burden or a pet for most of his life.

Last night's final straw had been to see a student discover his secret and tell him that she loved him.

'Remus,' Snape said quietly, 'I stopped counting the times I started brewing poisons after I took the Dark Mark. I've always had a faint hope that things would get better.'

Remus sniffled.

'Look, the girl remembers nothing; I have no doubt that the symptoms of the fake disease that I invented for you will make a perfect cover and… and I wasn't supposed to tell you, but during my honeymoon, I'll be meeting with a fellow Potions master in Japan for a brainstorm and an exchange of ingredients,' Snape said.

'Really?' Remus asked.

'Yes, idiot, you're my current pet-project, and I do not mean to fail,' Snape said.

'Thank you,' Remus said.

'You're a friend, silly,' Snape said. He groaned and added, 'Here, I sound like my wife again, and it's your fault… _again_.'

'Sorry,' Remus said.

'I'll see you through this,' Snape promised.

Remus wrapped his arms around Snape and hugged him fiercely.

'I'm on to something, but I need you to be in good health, and I need you here, Remus,' Snape said.

'I'm really sorry, Sev, but it hurt when she said she loves me. She meant it; it could taste it… it was all over my mouth and in my nose,' he said.

Snape hugged Remus back and said, 'There's someone for you out there.'

'Bless you. I'm sorry I'm such a mess, but it was odd to be lucid enough to understand her confession.' Remus explained.

'All right. I'm not your doctor, but I can get Ducky and Poppy down here if you don't go back to sleep for a few hours after eating a spot of breakfast,' Snape said.

Remus's stomach answered for him, and an elf appeared with a tray. There were two cups, and Snape stayed with Remus until he was satisfied that his guinea pig had had a good meal.

'Rest now, I'll come to wake you before lunch,' Snape said as he was about to leave Remus's bedroom. He turned to face his friend and added, 'And if you ever call me "Sev" again, I'll have Bunny tickle you to death.'

When he stopped chuckling, Remus fell asleep as he reflected that he had true friends now.

.

.

.

Abby shared Tonks's secret with her husband, and he decided to spy on the student.

Snape was satisfied with Tonks's behaviour after just a few days; she was acting as if she didn't know Remus's condition.

Three days before the beginning of the Yule break, Tonks knocked on Snape's lab door.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	66. Chapter 66

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

'I have work to do, Miss Tonks; I can't tutor you until next year,' Snape said.

'I know, Professor Snape,' she said softly.

'What's on your mind?' Snape inquired.

Tonks looked surprised – surprised that he didn't read her mind, and then she reflected that he had other fish to fry, and that he knew that she was no threat, and therefore wasn't worth spying on.

Deliberately, Snape smirked, and Tonks realized that she'd forgotten to take into account that she wasn't supposed to know that her Potions master was a Legilimens – and she had no proof whatsoever that he was.

She sighed and said, 'I'll have to train harder, I guess.'

'Training is necessary in every field, Miss Tonks,' Snape said neutrally.

She nodded and said, 'I was reading books on potions in the Restricted section, under Madam Pince's supervision, of course, and I read something interesting. You've been very kind, and I'm glad you're tutoring me. I wanted to find a way to thank you.'

'What did you have in mind and that is potions related?' Snape asked.

'I think that my blood could be useful in your research,' she said.

Of course, she had to find the one book in Hogwarts that mentioned a theory that said that a part of a cure against lycanthropy might be found, thanks to the unusual magical abilities of Metamorphs.

'You would give your blood to a Slytherin Potions master,' he said, teasing her on purpose. 'Do you know what Potions experts can do with blood?'

'I may not be a Legilimens, sir, but I trust you,' she said.

'Moody would hex you for that. Not only because he still doesn't trust me, but also because you have no way to know that I wouldn't use your blood to brew a potion to control you,' he said.

'You may be a Slytherin, but you're an honourable man, first and foremost,' she said. He was about to protest that she didn't know him, when she added, 'Agent Gibbs wouldn't have agreed to become your brother otherwise.'

That silenced him.

'I trust you, sir,' she said. She transformed the way she looked to resemble Abby, and she added, 'I'm sure my gift is something that you can use in a potion or two.'

Snape's voice was cold as ice when he said, 'Don't ever do that again, or I'll make you pay, Tonks.'

She resumed her normal appearance.

In her mind, he read that she didn't care if she were expelled or never became an Auror, as long as he used her blood to help find a cure for Remus.

Still without revealing that he knew her exact thoughts, he said, 'You'll have to work on your strategy, Tonks.'

'What do you mean, sir?' she asked.

'There are many things that are in my power. I could tell _him_ that the Memory-charm didn't work, which would make him flee, and I could stop working on his potions,' he said.

She paled so much that he thought she would faint.

Bravely, she said, 'I'll do anything you say, sir, but, please, don't punish him because of me.'

'Silly Gryffindor! You will ask my brother to teach you strategy. I don't know what kind of payment he'll ask for that, but if you want to become an Auror, you'll do that. You should know that I'd never do anything that would hurt Professor Lupin; and you _know_ that, but you're too emotional to see it,' he said.

'Sorry, sir,' she mumbled as she nodded.

'You have a lot of potential, Miss Tonks. Now, sit down on that stool, if you are to give me a pint of blood,' he said as he pointed to an ancient piece of furniture in the corner of his lab.

She obeyed.

When he was done, he could see that she wanted to ask him something.

'Yes?' he asked.

'Does he hate me?' she whispered.

'He's your teacher. He has no feelings for you; that would be inappropriate. Now, think about all the implications before you say anything stupider,' Snape said.

Tonks left, reflecting that nothing could happen between her and Remus until he was cured and until she was no longer a student. Her last year at Hogwarts would feel like the longest of her life, but Tonks began to work even harder to get the best possible grades and become a potentially interesting witch for Professor Lupin, once there were no more obstacles between them.

In his lab, Snape started to reconsider his potion plans with the addition of Tonks's offering.

When the Yule break started, most of the students went back home to their families.

In spite of the break, the school was quite alive on Christmas day. It was the first nice Christmas that Harry would remember, and the whole castle was celebrating. Staff members had their entire families Floo over to be with them, and the NCIS _family_ came over as well.

There were presents for everybody; they were all stored under the giant tree that Hagrid had cut and that Flitwick had spelled into the Great Hall.

Christmas morning was a beautiful day for Harry, who got a lot of presents – and oceans of love.

The Snapes were planning to leave for their honeymoon in Japan at night, in order to arrive in the morning in Kyoto. Harry had an early dinner… and a Sleeping charm cast by Greenli for him to be ready for his Japanese holiday.

Greenli reduced the size of her masters' luggage and left ahead of them.

The Snapes and Harry said goodbye to their friends, and Floo'ed to London. When they stepped out of the fireplace in Diagon Alley, Harry was sleeping in his mother's arms.

'Isn't he entirely too cute?' Abby asked rhetorically in a whisper.

Snape nodded and smiled.

'I've got the feeling that there's something on your mind, Sev,' she said.

'Two things, my witch. I've never Portkeyed so far, and I worry a bit about our landing, and… I must admit that I've never been on holiday before,' Snape said.

'It can't be worse than jumping from a plane, Sev. I'll help you land us,' she said.

He kissed her cheek.

'And I'll help you on the holiday aspect of our trip. Tony would tell you that I don't have much experience with holidays, but he's wrong,' she added. 'We'll have a lot of fun.'

'And I know where the Totoro live,' Snape joked.

'Yep!' Abby said joyfully. 'Let's go get our Portkey!'

Snape led them, and when the Portkey activated, he was holding his wife and son.

The Snapes braced themselves for the landing in Japan, but Greenli made sure that they arrived smoothly, which prompted Abby to kiss her.

Greenli was moved, and she retrieved Harry from his mother's arms to have something to do, and then she woke him up; she really had to busy herself to stop blushing.

'This are going to be a long day for you. Master Severus, Mistress Abby and Master Bunny should have breakfast,' Greenli said.

Their house-elf took them to a small shop, where they were served a traditional Japanese breakfast.

Abby was astonished that the cook wasn't surprised to see a house-elf, and Greenli whispered to her mistress that they were in the local Wizarding district.

Then, it was Abby's turn to surprise their elf and her husband, when she ordered more soup in Japanese.

'Abigail?' Snape said.

'Oh… I can shop and order food in a dozen languages,' she said. 'Apparently, I forgot to tell you.'

'How do you say "yum-yum", Mummy?' Harry asked.

'Nice son,' the cook said.

Since she'd made the effort to speak English, Abby used the little Japanese she knew in order to be nice, and she thanked their hostess – that got her extra noodles.

After breakfast, Greenli guided them through small streets to a little inn, where they were introduced to the owner. Since they couldn't have their room until the afternoon, the innkeeper gave them a map of places to see – museums and temples to visit.

The family went to explore, and Greenli made herself invisible this time.

Harry looked radiant. He'd seen documentaries about Japan in Abby's flat and on her computer at the lab, but the little boy was overjoyed to see such an unusual place for real.

'I think we've got a traveller,' Abby whispered to her husband.

'Excellent!' Snape said.

'Sev?' she asked.

'If Bunny likes seeing the world, he'll be the best reason for us to Portkey to different places. I had been unable to attend international symposiums until now because of Riddle and his friends, but if it's all right with you and Bunny, I can start answering the next invitations I receive positively,' Snape said.

'Great! And you can come to Muggle conferences with me, too!' she said.

'You'd take us?' Snape asked.

Abby punched his arm and growled, 'Of course, silly! I still have years of work to do on your low self-esteem, I see.'

Snape blushed.

'I love you, silly,' she said.

Harry beamed at his parents.

.

.

.

During the six days that they spent in Kyoto, they visited many places and met many people – natives and tourists, Muggles and Wizarding people.

They had a great time.

Snape went to see the local Potions master who was working on something that could help Snape with his potion for Remus. His fellow was a monk at the Silver Pavilion, and while they spoke about potions, Abby and Harry were entertained by the Abbot himself.

When they were about to leave, the Abbot gave Abby a bag of incense, and, propriety be damned, she hugged him. Those who hadn't seen the scene wondered for days why the respectable Abbot had a bigger grin than the Cheshire-Cat.

His monk-Potions master asked him why he was so happy, and the Abbot answered that he would have to ask Snape the next time they spoke.

The wizard thought that his old friend was too Zen.

.

.

.

The Snapes left Kyoto for an even quieter inn in the country.

There was a lot of snow, and Harry played with his parents and his elfish nanny.

Then… they all went Totoro hunting.

Snape was convinced that they'd merely end up just having fun together in the nearby wood, but it turned out quite differently.

They were strolling together when Harry squealed.

'Daddy! Mummy! Footprints!' Harry exclaimed.

'Follow them, Bunny,' Snape encouraged him.

Harry, swift as a Snitch, obeyed his dad and followed the tiny, tiny prints.

Abby and Snape were following Harry, but they were holding hands and planning what they'd do when their son was asleep that night – and safely wrapped in a soundproof bubble.

Greenli couldn't see any of the Totoro because it wasn't in her magic; therefore, she didn't spot the white and the blue creatures that ran back to their nest and that Harry followed.

The smaller Totoro ran to their eldest.

Harry saw them, and he bowed to them.

The eldest Totoro roared with satisfaction, and Harry beamed proudly at the whole family. The tiniest Totoro walked to Harry and allowed the boy to pet him.

'What was that sound?' Snape inquired, looking around for some logical explanation to the Totoro call.

Abby squeezed his hand so much that it was almost painful and said, 'Don't tell me that you can't see the three Totoro. They're like in the anime – only they're _real_!'

'Adults can't see them, Abigail,' he reminded her.

'_Severus_,' she said, and that alone told him how shocked and serious she was, 'I can see them! What does it mean?'

There was only one logical explanation – and a highly magical one.

Snape cast a simple spell on his wife.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	67. Chapter 67

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Snape squeaked inelegantly.

'Am I sick?' Abby asked worriedly.

'No,' Snape gasped. 'No, Abigail… You're… You're pregnant!'

'A spell, a potion, my pill, and I'm pregnant?!' Abby asked.

Snape nodded.

Abby placed her hands over her belly and said, 'Well, I think someone really wants to be born.'

'Mummy?' Harry said with a small voice.

Abby walked to her son, crouched and said, 'You're going to have a sibling.'

'A sister,' a stunned Snape said.

Abby swirled towards her husband and asked, 'Really? You can tell?'

Snape nodded.

Harry put his small hand on his mother's, and he put his face close to Abby's belly and whispered, 'Hello, sister.'

'Whoa!' Abby said.

'Abigail?' Snape said.

'You're going to think I'm nuts, but I think Harry reached out to his sister,' Abby said.

'I think it's been known to happen,' Snape said.

Abby grinned.

'When will she stop hiding inside Mummy?' Harry asked.

'Yes, good question. So, Daddy, can your spell tell us that?' Abby asked her husband.

Snape blushed and cast another spell on his wife to find out when their _magic_ created their future daughter, and then he estimated a time of birth.

'Around mid-July,' Snape announced.

'Cool! I'll have a sister for my birthday!' Harry said joyfully.

Harry hugged his mother, and Snape crouched next to them and hugged them both.

The biggest Totoro walked to them, and he patted Abby's head.

'We'll come back with her, when she's big enough to understand who you are,' Abby told the Totoro.

He roared and grinned.

'Daddy, Daddy!' Harry exclaimed.

'Yes, Bunny?' Snape asked.

'The lil' Totoro has something in his paw for you,' Harry declared.

'How cute!' Abby said. 'Here, let me help.'

She picked up the baby Totoro, whose ears flapped.

'Open your hand, Daddy,' Harry said.

Snape did, and the Totoro dropped a seed in it.

'What is it?' Snape inquired. 'I've never seen a seed like that.'

'That are the answer to your latest question,' Greenli said.

The house-elf might not be able to see the Totoro, but she knew how they worked.

'I'll ask Professor Sprout to help me with it,' Snape said.

Abby nodded. She looked at Greenli and said, 'What? Don't I get a hug?'

'Hugs is for family. Greenli are just your elf,' Greenli said as she looked down.

'You _are_ family, silly. Now, move over here before I ask Sev to summon you,' Abby said.

Greenli obeyed her mistress and found herself engulfed in the warmth and love of the entire family.

'I hope the new, unexpected baby won't be too much trouble for you,' Abby told Greenli.

'Mistress Abby must keep in mind that Greenli can use magic, and all the other elves is going to help with the new baby. She will be the first baby at Hogwarts in over a century. Baby Snape are going to be even more loved for that. First Master Bunny, and now a new baby!' Greenli said.

Snape caressed Harry's cheek and said, 'Bunny will always be our number one.'

Harry looked at his Daddy and beamed at him. 'Promise?' he asked.

'Promise,' Snape swore.

The eldest Totoro hummed.

Harry looked at him and said, 'Oh, okay.'

'Bunny?' Snape asked.

'He says there's a storm coming, and we should go home or Mummy will catch a cold,' Harry explained.

'That are true,' Greenli said as she sniffed the air.

Snape put his precious gift in his pocket and cast a spell on his pocket.

They all got up, and Abby picked up Harry, while Snape wrapped them both in a Warming spell. Abby looked at her husband, and then at Greenli, which made him cast another spell on their elf and himself.

'Bye!' Harry shouted to the Totoro family.

The eldest roared again.

There was a gust of wind, and Snape turned around. For one brief moment, he thought that he could see the forms of three creatures – but that had to be a trick of the whirling snow; it couldn't be some odd magic.

When they got back to the Wizarding inn where they were staying, the innkeeper could tell that there was something different about the family. Abby managed to share the good news, and their hostess dragged them to the temple that was just on the corner of the street.

Abby was blessed by a Wizarding monk, and their hostess bought two talismans, saying that they were "for the children".

The Snapes were delighted that their little surprise seemed to be welcomed so well.

That night, when Harry was fast asleep, they talked about what it meant for them. They hadn't planned to have a baby so soon, but it seemed that nature and magic had decided otherwise.

Abby was convinced that she'd get plenty of help at work, and, as Greenli had said, the Hogwarts house-elves would spoil the baby – whether the board and the Ministry approved or not.

'What if Leon doesn't want you to keep working for him?' Snape inquired.

'He's not stupid. He doesn't want Gibbs to maim him, and he knows that Fornell would hire me in the wink of an eye. Even if I take a whole month off, he won't fire me… and if he does, I kinda like Fornell, but don't tell Gibbs!' she said.

'But what about the door in your lab? We'd only have access to Washington through your flat,' Snape said.

Abby chuckled.

'What?' he asked.

'I'm not a witch, Baby, but I'm sure that if I ask Hogwarts nicely, the door would follow me to the FBI lab… and I'm sure Fornell has Auror-Agents, just like at NCIS,' she said.

Snape was happy that the room was very dark, because he'd taken to blinking. It was strange to hear a Muggle make so much sense about magic.

When it was time to go back to London, Greenli was sent ahead again to make sure that Abby's landing would be very smooth.

Abby was touched that her husband cared so much, but she started to remind him that she wasn't made of crystal and that pregnancy wasn't a disease. They were still arguing when they reached Hogwarts, and that was how the staff and students were told about the future baby Snape.

The _family_ had been told through Greenli earlier, and they came to visit the happy couple.

As soon as he was told, Leon Vance declared that Abby could have anything she wanted, as long as she kept working for NCIS. She only asked for enough time to recover from childbirth and the possibility to take care of her baby-girl with Greenli's help and to breastfeed her daughter. Vance agreed.

It was only after he was gone that Snape and Pomfrey told Abby that potions would help her recover within hours of her delivering her baby.

'Leon doesn't have to know, right?' Abby said.

Pomfrey grinned and said, 'Women react differently to potions, you know. There's no way to be sure it'll work on you as efficiently as on a witch.'

'I'm not the first Muggle to take them. How much longer could it take, Poppy?' Abby asked.

'Oh, about twenty minutes,' Pomfrey admitted as she started laughing.

'Let's not tell Leon,' Abby concluded.

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.

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The Snapes hadn't planned to have _Ceres_ so soon – that was the name they'd chosen for their daughter – but now that she was being made, they were the happiest couple. Harry was overexcited to be getting a baby sister.

Strangely, that was when the pictures appeared in Harry's room. Greenli found pictures of Lily and James Potter here and there, and she called the Snapes immediately.

'Who are they?' Harry asked.

Abby looked at her husband. 'Here we go,' she said.

They sat down on Harry's bed with the boy between them.

Pointing at the picture that he'd picked on the bookcase, Snape said, 'This is Lily, and this is James.'

Harry waved at his birth parent in the frame, and they waved back.

'They're the ones who made you. Something happened to them because of the bad wizard we had to deal with last summer,' Abby said.

Harry nodded slowly.

'After Riddle's attack, you were sent to your aunt Petunia, and when you showed signs of magic, I came to rescue you. Do you remember?' Snape asked.

Harry blinked a few times, paled, and then nodded.

Snape read Harry's thoughts, but Abby didn't need to to understand that her boy was terrified.

'I didn't make you, but you're my son,' Abby said.

Harry nodded again, but didn't say a word.

'Bunny, you're our son,' Snape said.

'But I'm not. Not really. That's why you put the pictures in my room,' Harry said.

Snape put Harry on his lap and slid closer to his wife, so as to allow them both to hug Harry.

'You're our son, Bunny,' Abby said as she hugged the boy fiercely.

'And we did _not_ put those pictures in your room,' Snape added.

'There are many people who knew Lily and James, and we never planned to keep them secret from you. However, we thought that you're too little a Bunny to understand everything,' Abby explained.

Harry merely nodded. He'd lost his bearings again; the pictures of Lily and James had made the imaginary world that he'd built for himself after meeting Snape and Abby explode. He'd had biological parents, had been shipped to relatives, had been rescued by Snape, but Harry was afraid that his pretty life with his _Daddy_ and _Mummy_ was just a moment in life, and that he'd be sent somewhere else.

'All right. There's only one way,' Abby said.

She turned her engagement ring, and the spirit of Lily came to her.

'_Let me speak to Harry, Abby, please. I can restore his confidence. A part of my magic still resides in him_,' Lily said.

'Are you sure?' Abby asked.

'_Positive_,' Lily said. Abby was about to take the ring off, but Lily stopped her and added, '_You love Harry, you… Abby, I'm giving you my son to love and protect_.'

'He's already mine, Lily,' Abby said.

There was a smile on Lily's lips when Abby took the ring off. Abby took her son's hand, placed the ring on it and turned it.

'You're the lady in the photo,' Harry said.

'_Yes, Harry. I'm Lily Potter, the witch who gave birth to you_,' she said.

'I… I remember your voice,' Harry said.

'_Thank you, Harry. I'm glad that you remember a little something about me_,' Lily declared. '_I'm very happy that Sev and Abby became your Daddy and Mummy_.'

'Really?' Harry asked with a small voice that broke the adults' hearts.

'_I can see into their hearts, and they're your mum and dad, Bunny. You're a little boy, but you'll see that life is very strange. Voldemort killed James and me, but you now have Sev and Abby. All right, Bunny_?' Lily said.

James appeared slowly, with a bright smile. He didn't want to spook his son.

'_Hello, Bunny_,' James said softly.

'H'llo,' Harry mumbled.

'_I'm sorry we're not with you, but Abby and Severus will love you. Never doubt that_,' James said. '_Now, you're _our_ son and you're _their_ son. We can't lie to you_.'

James caressed Harry's hair, and the boy felt that the spirit of his biological father was telling him the truth.

'So, I have two Mummy and two Daddy?' Harry asked.

'_Just like Severus has two dads_,' James pointed out.

'Oh, yea! I get it!' Harry said joyfully.

Much to everybody's surprise, Snape said, 'That was good, James.'

'_I always suspected you were a Legilimens_,' James said good-naturedly.

Snape grinned.

'_We'll always be around, but you have very good parents_,' Lily told her son.

'They're really mine, right?' Harry asked, needing confirmation and absolute certainty.

'_Oh, yes! Never doubt that, Bunny, never doubt that_,' Lily said.

Harry grinned; his world was complete again.

Just before Snape took the ring back, James said, '_Severus_.'

'Don't worry, _James_,' Snape said.

The spirit of James Potter knew that the best Slytherin would discover who had just caused their Harry unnecessary pain with those pictures.

Abby put her ring back on.

'Sorry,' Harry mumbled. 'I was 'fraid.'

'It's okay, Bunny,' Abby said lovingly.

Harry smiled.

'Do you know what we should do?' Snape declared. 'We should have pictures of the whole family here.'

'Oh, yes! That'd be cool!' Harry said.

'Greenli, find pictures, please,' Snape said.

The house-elf nodded, snapped her fingers, and the walls were covered with frames within seconds.

'They're all here!' Harry squealed with delight.

'And they're all here,' Abby said as she placed one finger over Harry's heart.

'Yes, Mummy,' Harry said.

'All right, what do you say we go talk to Daddy's Totoro plant?' Abby suggested.

When they got back from Japan, Sprout helped with the seed given to Snape. It turned out that the plant didn't like the greenhouse, and it bloomed in the Potions lab, right on Snape's desk. It liked company, and… music.

Harry jumped from his father's lap, took his mother's hand, and ran towards the lab.

Before following them, Snape turned to Greenli and said, 'Great job on the frames, dear. Now find who put the pictures in Harry's room.'

'Yes, Master,' she said.

Whoever had done that would regret it _dearly_.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	68. Chapter 68

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.  
.

Harry reverted to his cheerful, usual way rather fast. Two things contributed to that; first, the Totoro plant had taken to undulating, and it deeply amused the boy, and then, Dada Jackson was invited to prove to Harry that his family, if unusual, and not necessarily blood related, loved him.

In the evening, when Harry was in bed, fast asleep, Greenli reported her conclusion to her masters. The Hogwarts house-elves hadn't felt the intrusion, which meant that it was another elf who'd come to Harry's room to put the pictures of the Potters there. She'd called Kreacher to help her, and they'd managed to find traces of magic that led them to the new Black house-elf, Dobby.

'I'm going to kill Black,' Abby growled.

'Abigail,' Snape said very seriously. 'I think you should be careful because of Ceres.'

Abby put immediately one hand over her belly. 'I wouldn't do anything to hurt her!' she exclaimed.

'Oh, I'm not afraid for you, Dearest – for either of you. However, I must warn you that I wouldn't be surprised if you were able to do magic as your pregnancy goes along. Spontaneous magic could happen, and thus, you should be careful about strong feelings; they're usually what sets off first signs of magic,' he explained.

'Oh, my!' Abby said. 'I'll try to be careful.'

'I think we should have a family meeting to decide on a course of action about Black,' Snape said.

'God knows what that idiot could try next time. If he hurts my baby again, it's not magic that he'll have to fear, it's a taser, combined with a borrowed knife from Ziva, and possibly Tony's gun, too, that he'll have to worry about,' Abby growled.

Snape noticed that his wife's eyes were much greener when she said that, and he knew that their future baby witch must be lending magic to her mother. If Black threatened Harry's well-being again, he just might have to deal with a temporary bout of magic coming from Abby – and that wouldn't be pretty. Not that Snape really cared – he knew that his wife could handle whatever Black might try, and between Ducky and Rae, there wouldn't be an atom of Black to be found when Abby was done with him.

The family got together, but the Hogwarts house-elves were so angry with Dobby and his master, that they told the students what happened, and the Weasleys understood that their mother must have somehow had a hand in the plan. Bill and Charlie were quite fond of Harry, and they decided to do something for the boy; the two Gryffindors borrowed school owls to write to their siblings, and the twins, Fred and George, were sent simple spells that would drive their mother nuts.

Bill even found a way to show Sirius Black that his actions weren't welcome, when he had the wizard invite him to his Unplottable mansion one Saturday in late January during a Hogsmeade weekend. While Bill was in the Grimmauld Place mansion, he Fire-called his house common room, and the Hogwarts house-elves paid the mansion a little visit that kept Dobby busy for weeks – and that taught Black a lesson.

Remus sent an owl to his former friend. He was quite tempted to send a Howler, but he knew that Black's thick skull wouldn't really get the difference. Remus's simple note read, "Did you even stop to consider how much your little stunt would hurt Harry? The boy was badly abused by Petunia, and he needs stability. You might not trust Severus, but Abby loves Harry – and they both have Lily and James's blessings."

Black didn't _really_ care for Harry's well-being.

He tried to challenge Snape's magical adoption, but the Minister for Magic himself pointed out that if the magical echo in Harry of one of the biological parents had deemed Snape unfit for adoption, Petunia Dursley wouldn't have been able to relinquish her link with the boy – and Abby's adoption had been sanctioned by High Magic.

Black decided that he wanted to meet his godson – and try to convince him that living with him would be best. He started plotting for that, but he wouldn't see his stupid plan succeed until late March.

.

.

.

Sympo ran into Snape's classroom as he was finishing a theoretical lesson with first-years.

'Problem, sir!' Sympo almost shouted.

'Stay put!' Snape told his students. 'What's going on? Is something wrong with Abigail or Harry?'

'No, sir, but your plant is roaming the castle, eating things,' Sympo said.

'Roaming?' Snape said.

'It left its pot and is galloping around,' Sympo explained. 'We're trying to hunt it, but it's really fast and quite cunning.'

'Let's go plant hunting, then,' Snape said.

'Can we help?' a first-year asked.

'Why not,' Snape said.

The plant had wrapped a net of roots around the earth in its pot, and it was moving on bigger roots that worked as tiny legs. It took the students and teachers a few tries to capture the plant – though capture isn't really accurate. The plant was cornered in the Great Hall, but it could have climbed the walls to escape. Sprout, Snape and Remus walked towards it and… the plant jumped into Remus's arms. Then, the plant rubbed its leaves on Remus's face.

'What is it doing?' Remus asked.

'I've never seen a plant do that!' Sprout admitted.

'I wonder what it ate, and why it left its pot,' Snape said.

'It's pointing towards the door, I think,' a Hufflepuff sixth-year stated.

They were all forced to admit that the plant really seemed to be showing them where it wanted to go. They followed its indications, and they found themselves near the Whomping Willow; there, the plant hopped from Remus's arms and went to plant itself under the tree, which helped the plant dig itself a hole in the ground.

Sprout sniffed loudly and whispered, 'Beautiful.'

Dumbledore joined them then. He'd cast an intricate spell to discover what the plant had eaten. He gave Snape the list and pointed at one particular item.

'It drank it?!' Snape exclaimed.

Dumbledore nodded.

Apparently, the plant had drunk half the blood that Tonks had given Snape and that he'd turned into a potion for Remus.

'I'll have to watch that plant,' Snape declared.

Snape did watch the plant, but the following week, it was Harry who brought his dad the tiny fruit produced by the plant.

'She waved when I walked by the willow,' Harry told his dad.

'Harry, the tree can be very dangerous!' Snape exclaimed.

'No, Daddy, it makes a nice swing,' Harry said.

'Does the Whomping Willow play with you?' Snape asked.

Harry nodded fervently.

Snape kissed his son's cheek and said, 'You're one astounding wizard, Bunny.'

Harry beamed at his dad.

'So, the Totoro plant waved, and then what?' Snape asked.

'I went to see her, and she dropped the berries in my hand,' Harry explained.

Snape was about to say that he'd have to cast spells on them, when Abby came from her lab.

'I just got a weird message from Cecily for you,' Abby said.

'What does it say?' Snape asked.

'Well, she says "If it looks like coffee beans, make coffee, and follow your instincts". Does that make any sense?' Abby said.

Snape told her what had just happened.

'Master Leroy can help,' Greenli said.

'You mean _Jethro_,' Snape corrected her.

'Master Leroy have a gun, but Mistress Irma have a wand,' Greenli pointed out as she started preparing Harry's tea.

The beans were brought to Gibbs, who had everything to prepare them. The next day, Remus was presented with a fuming cup of fruity greenish liquid.

'How is it?' Gibbs inquired when Remus had tasted it.

'Better than Albus's tea, but not as good as your usual coffee,' Remus said. 'Now, blokes, are you going to tell me what it is?'

As if it were the most obvious thing to say, Snape answered, 'I think it was the cure to your little monthly problem.'

'Uh?' Remus said.

'The Totoro plant drank the trial potion I was brewing for you. It called Harry to give him the berries that you've just been given,' Snape explained.

'So, what? I drink herbal tea, and I'm healed. It can't be that simple!' Remus snorted.

With a pinch of Floo powder, Pomfrey was called to the Snapes' parlour, and with two flicks of her wand, she confirmed that Remus was as healthy as the next wizard. Whatever had made Remus a werewolf was now gone, with just one cup.

When Remus realized that he could live a normal life from now on, he started sobbing and ended up between Gibbs and Snape on the sofa.

A very hormonal Abby arrived then. 'What have you done to him?' she growled.

'He's cured, Abby,' Gibbs announced.

'No more hairball spitting for our Remy,' Snape joked.

'Not funny!' Remus sobbed.

'You're healed!' Abby squealed.

She sat on Remus's lap and hugged him so fiercely that he almost turned blue.

'How are you going to spread the cure?' Gibbs asked his brother.

'We'll harvest as many berries as possible, and I'll ask Pomona if she thinks she can create another plant. I'll call Lucius; we're going to need some help at the Ministry. Rae and Milly can probably help spread it, too,' Snape said.

'You're going to be famous, brother,' Gibbs said.

Snape shrugged.

'Severus, I don't know how governments are going to react, but there are families who are going to be really grateful,' Remus declared, as he dried his tears.

'We need to estimate how many werewolves there are in the world. We can't tell that there's a cure until we have enough berries to treat everybody,' Snape said.

'Sound strategy,' Gibbs agreed.

Within a week, the plant was sprouting other plants that Sprout and her students could collect. The baby plants loved music as much as the mother plant, but they agreed to be put into small pots and to live in a greenhouse.

With Malfoy and Milly's help, a network was secretly formed to contact all the families who were touched by lycanthropy.

Sirius Black didn't know anything of that when he went to Hogsmeade the last Saturday in March. He transformed into his Animagus form, and he trotted into the village, looking for Harry.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	69. Chapter 69

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.

SELFISH NOTE: Right now, I'm typing a Ducky/Abby bunny (NCIS) that you can meet on my yahoogroup (rating too high to be posted here). I also have flocks, armies, hordes of bunnies for various fandoms on my website (rating way too high to be posted here). Follow the links on my profile… ^_~

.

The Snapes, the Gibbs-Pinces and Remus Lupin were going to the Three Broomsticks to celebrate a few things; Harry was walking between Greenli and his Dada Jackson. There was Remus's healing to celebrate; on a smaller scale, there was the fact that Harry could now read his books alone – they were still very simple books, but his family and elfish nanny were tremendously proud of their Bunny, and there was Pince's pregnancy, too.

For the sake of _Dada_ Jackson, Greenli suggested that they take a carriage, but he pointed out that it was too nice a day to not walk to Hogsmeade. En route, they met the Malfoys; if they'd meant to keep Narcissa's pregnancy secret, it was a failure within three seconds because Draco was so excited that he let the cat out and announced that he was having a brother.

Pince and Narcissa started talking about possible names for their sons. Jethro wanted to call their son Jackson, but Irma didn't want to hear about it; however, _Jack_ was a name that she found agreeable, and their son would be called Jack Gibbs. She didn't mind the surname, but Pince didn't want her baby to end up Jackson Gibbs II.

Narcissa wanted to use a Black tradition and call their second son Aldebaran, but her husband was in favour of Julius. Draco had suggested Zive, because he had a crush the size of the giant squid on Ziva, but his parents told him that such a name was out of the question.

The adults kept on talking about names – and Jackson, in spite of Abby's hormonal mood, dared to say aloud that he wasn't too convinced about the second name Abby and Snape had chosen for their daughter.

Draco and Harry started playing games on the streets. Greenli and Kreacher were invisible, but always near their charges.

Remus was the first to spot the black dog.

'Sirius!' Remus yelled as he ran to position himself between his former friend and his godson.

Black transformed back into a wizard and aimed his wand at his last friend from his school days.

'Now, Remus, let me take the boy; don't be silly,' Black said.

The earth quaked.

Abby was channelling magic, thanks to her magical child, and her wish to protect Harry was so strong that it generated the oddest form of High magic. Before anyone could say anything, Abby's motherly love for Harry generated the only thing that could possibly counter Sirius Black's plan.

The manifestation of Lily Potter appeared next to Abby.

'Sirius! How dare you threaten our son? Abby is Harry's mother now,' Lily said.

'Snivellus can't take care of my godson!' Black barked.

Lily pointed her wand at Black and growled, '_You_ abandoned _my_ baby to be shipped to my sister because you wanted to get revenge for _James_. Severus rescued Harry, and he and his wife will be there to love him.'

'I never abandoned Harry!' Black protested.

'What do you call handing Harry over to Hagrid, while you went to hunt for the rat without telling _anyone_ that you weren't our Secret Keeper? That was _stupid_!' Lily spat.

'I wanted to kill Peter for you!' Black countered her.

'Your first duty was to Harry. I should never have listened to James. I'm glad that Severus made Remus Harry's godfather; I should have insisted on naming Remus when we picked a godfather for our baby,' Lily said.

'Remus shouldn't be linked to Harry!' Black said.

'Why the hell not?!' Remus barked.

Not caring about his "friend" and his delicate situation, Black shouted, 'Because you're a werewolf!'

Had Remus been even remotely like Black, he'd have fallen into a very silly trap, but Remus was far cleverer than Black. Instead of yelling at Black that he'd betrayed him, which he just had, he did his best to look offended, which wasn't too difficult.

'That's a lie! I'm perfectly healthy! No wonder Lily agreed to make you Harry's godfather if you and James lied to her!' Remus yelled loud enough for all Hogsmeade to hear him.

'He's good,' Malfoy whispered to his wife.

Narcissa nodded and shushed him.

'Anyway, Harry should stay with me, now that I'm free,' Black declared selfishly.

'You are not taking my Bunny from me!' Abby hissed.

'You're just a _Muggle_!' Black spat at Abby.

'Idiot! She's carrying a witch. If you anger her, she could blow you to pieces,' Lily pointed out quietly.

Black snorted.

Abby snorted, as well. Instinctively, she held out her hand and… summoned Black's wand.

Malfoy understood that, thanks to her pregnancy-induced magic, Abby wasn't a woman to cross – more than usual, that is. Black was too silly to see that.

Black meant to go retrieve his wand, but he found himself glued to the spot. He tried to cast a simple Summoning charm – that was something he could do without his wand – and then he discovered that he couldn't use magic for the moment.

'You've found an astounding lady, Sev,' Lily told her old friend.

Abby, still extremely hormonal, growled, 'Hey, _my_ Sev, not yours.'

'Of course,' Lily conceded with a bright smile.

Abby grinned and played with Black's wand.

'Now that you've momentarily incapacitated the idiot, allow me to do something for you,' Lily said.

'You're dead, Lily,' Black said, scorn pouring from his lips.

'How stupid are you, Sirius? We shouldn't be able to see her at all because of the way she was killed,' Remus explained.

'Yes, but, Remus, you're the Hogwarts Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and you're quite competent. You can tell High magic when you see it,' Snape complimented his fellow.

'Thank you, Severus,' Remus said.

'Look at that! A Death Eater and a werewolf, best mates! You two should get married,' Black sneered.

'Now, Cousin, you shouldn't slander two respectable professors,' Malfoy intervened.

'Said the other Death Eater,' Black said.

'Sirius!' Narcissa barked as she aimed her wand at Black.

'I'm first, Ladies,' Lily said as she moved towards Black.

'By all means,' Abby agreed.

Lily aimed her wand at Black and said a very intricate spell that made all the Wizarding people present gasp.

'There,' Lily told Abby. 'Black is no longer Harry's godfather. Any intrusion in Harry's life can lead to legal actions. Kingsley Shacklebolt at the Ministry would help you, for my sake.'

'Thanks, Lily,' Abby said softly. 'And I'm sorry about you know what.'

Abby had briefly looked at Harry, and Lily understood that Abby was sad that, even though she'd kill for _her_ Bunny, Harry had lost his parents because Pettigrew was a coward.

'Dearest, I can't tell you how grateful I am,' Lily said.

'Speaking of legal actions, Cousin,' Narcissa told Black, 'if you say anything against my family, I'll have your hide. Literally.'

Black gulped. He couldn't use magic for the moment, but he could feel the energy of the witches, plus the energy of the Muggle who was pregnant with a witch, and retreat was beginning to sound like an option.

However, Abigail Snape wasn't in the mood to let him go so easily; therefore, while she _felt_ how she could do it, she aimed Black's wand at its owner, and she made a wish. Then, she broke Black's wand.

Black wanted to run to her and throttle her, but he couldn't.

'What did you wish for, Abbs?' Remus asked warmly.

'For him to be unable to come near any of us, ever,' she answered.

Greenli and Kreacher made themselves visible, and each seized one of Black's wrists.

'We'll escort him back to London,' Kreacher declared.

Before Narcissa or her husband could say a word, Harry ran to Abby, shouting, 'Mummy!'

Abby picked him up and held him tight.

Lily briefly turned to Black and hissed just low enough for him and the house-elves to be the only ones to hear, 'I hate you!'

Had Black not convinced James to trust Pettigrew, the Potters might well have still been alive.

Before leaving for good, Lily floated through Black, and she left her sense of loss inside him. Kreacher, who knew the Black family well, was convinced that that action would leave some permanent impression in the former godfather.

Just to be safe, Narcissa called another Malfoy house-elf and asked him to go see their attorney in order to start a defamation action against her cousin.

Greenli and Kreacher seemed to blink out and back, and Abby handed the pieces of Black's wand to Greenli for her to dispose of them.

'Quite the wand-breaker,' Malfoy said good-naturedly.

'It all depends on the _wand_,' Snape deadpanned.

Malfoy blinked, as Narcissa and Remus started laughing heartily, tension dropping at last.

'What does Daddy mean, Mummy?' Harry inquired innocently.

'That I'd never hurt him,' Abby answered seriously.

Snape smiled at her, and she shook her head. Soon enough, lousy puns would be harder to not explain and get away with.

'Jethro, Irma, you can put away the gun and wand, now,' Remus said with a chuckle.

During the entire exchange, they'd kept an eye on Black, ready to intervene.

'You were remarkably quiet, Jackson,' Malfoy said.

'I was counting the points,' he said.

They all laughed at that.

'Er, guys, I don't want to bother you, but I'm famished,' Abby said.

'What a surprise!' Snape said. 'You channelled High magic and did magic yourself. Let's go see Rosmerta.'

They all went to the Three Broomsticks.

While there, Kingsley Shacklebolt Apparated from the Ministry. Lily's revocation had been officially registered, and he made the Snapes promise that if they needed _anything_, they'd contact him. He, too, almost turned blue as Abby hugged him to thank him.

They got a second visit when the Malfoys' attorney Floo'ed to the pub to start a case against Black. During Narcissa's description of the event, the attorney discovered what Black had revealed regarding Remus's alleged lycanthropy. He offered to represent Remus pro bono, and to everyone's surprise, Remus accepted. When Snape looked pointedly at him, Remus understood that his friend was trying to find the reason for such a reaction using Legilimency. Remus explained in a thought that the attorney's only daughter was a wifwolf, and that Snape's cure, which had been advertised through Malfoy, would give her a chance to have a normal life. Suing Black for free was a way to thank Snape.

Snape felt bad for liking the sound of it, but Black had gone way too far.

By the time Black was heavily fined for aggravated slander, the cure for lycanthropy had been distributed for free throughout the world, and birds from all over the world were flying to Hogwarts to thank Snape.

There were numerous official thanks, and thousands of grateful families who sent notes.

One in particular got through Snape's coat of armour.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


	70. Chapter 70

See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…

IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.

SELFISH NOTE: Right now, I'm typing a Ducky/Abby bunny (NCIS) that you can meet on my yahoogroup (rating too high to be posted here). I also have flocks, armies, hordes of bunnies for various fandoms on my website (rating way too high to be posted here). Follow the links on my profile… ^_~

.

It wasn't even a real note; it was a drawing that a little girl had made for him.

When she was a baby, she'd been bitten by a relative infected with lycanthropy; her health had been steadily deteriorating, and without Snape's discovery, she would probably have died in just a few more months.

She'd made him a colourful and happy drawing with flowers, butterflies and little pink hearts; her "thank-you" was sent with a letter written by her mother that explained that, even though her daughter was still in critical condition, there was some hope that she might live now.

Abby saw how moved her husband was.

'Why don't you go see her with Poppy?' Abby suggested.

'I might have to spend time in my lab, and I don't want to leave you now,' he answered lamely.

'Don't be silly, I can ask Greenli to bring a chair in your lab, and Bunny would get to see you work. Go see that little girl; maybe you can help her, and you won't forgive yourself if you don't try,' Abby said.

Snape took a deep breath to protest, but Abby placed the tip of her fingers on his lips and added, 'It's just _one_ little girl you want to help, not the entire planet.'

Snape nodded and went to invite Pomfrey to come and help him diagnose the little Belgian witch.

The Mediwitch and the Potions master managed to save the little witch, and they discovered, thanks to her, that all those who'd been infected with lycanthropy needed a potion to counteract the negative effects of the infection.

When people began to thank Pomfrey and Snape for their additional discovery, they both made an official statement that gave credit to the little girl's role in their finding. The whole thing started a form of solidarity between the families that had been plagued by lycanthropy; it would start bringing together the Wizarding communities all around the globe, one step at a time.

In the Snape family, Abby knew that the little alien witch had brought out a new dimension in Severus as a father.

Snape had been turned into a dad the moment Harry adopted him – and the moment Abby encouraged him to give Harry time to adapt to his new situation after his rescue, but Abby's pregnancy was bringing something new into the equation. Being involved in the creation of his daughter was a new kind of adventure for Snape, and he loved it.

As weeks went by, the entire family started to prepare the nest for Ceres. First, the castle created a nursery, and then the family decorated it a bit each weekend.

One of the talismans from Japan was above Ceres's cradle – the other one was above Harry's bed in his room.

Everything was taking shape.

Abby was getting rounder. By the end of May, she looked as if she'd swallowed a big pumpkin. Rae and DiNozzo, who was as good a wizard now as if he'd trained normally, helped Abby magically adjust her wardrobe. Snape was a very devoted husband, but when it came to clothes, he wasn't exactly gifted.

Harry was asking Greenli to teach him many, many things because he wanted to be able to help with his baby sister. When he wasn't with his parents, Harry could be found either in the Hogwarts library or at NCIS headquarters in Vance's office, using one of McGee's old laptops that Rae and McGee had programmed to allow Harry to visit only sites that were suitable for such a young child. Harry couldn't use a quill yet, but he was learning to type quite nicely.

The exams for the fifth- and seventh-year students at Hogwarts were done, and the staff was to teach the other students for a few more days before the end of the school year.

Snape and Gibbs were looking forward to the summer. They'd be able to really take care of their wives.

Abby was due a good month before Pince, but both would slow down during the summer. Pince would only have to catalogue her new books and renew the spells on a few rare volumes in the Restricted section.

Abby had agreed to share her lab with someone who'd replace her during her short maternity leave. She was training a forensics expert who was also… an Auror.

It was a good thing that Abby shared her lab with a witch, because she literally felt that there was something odd going on one day. It seemed that Ceres was ready to be born, three weeks before the estimated delivery date.

Jane, Abby's replacement, cast a spell that warned Rae and DiNozzo that Abby was having her baby. Gibbs ran so fast to the lab that it almost looked as if he'd Apparated; he was the one who ran to Hogwarts to tell his brother, while Abby was being escorted to the hospital wing.

Gibbs rushed into the Potions classroom where Snape was teaching first-years.

'Sev!' Gibbs shouted.

'What's wrong?' Snape inquired.

'Abby's having the baby,' Gibbs answered.

Snape rushed to his brother and asked, 'Hospital?'

Gibbs nodded.

Snape ran out, abandoning his students… and their cauldrons.

Gibbs decided to help with the students before going to the hospital.

'From what houses are you?' Gibbs asked the students.

'Hufflepuff,' answered one half of the class.

The others said, 'Ravenclaw.'

'I want you to run to your heads of houses and tell them to come here as fast as possible,' Gibbs said.

Two students obeyed instantly, but there was one who was wondering why a Muggle was giving them orders in Potions class, no less.

'Oi! We can trust him,' one of his classmate objected. 'That's Mr Pince!'

Gibbs swallowed his saliva down the wrong pipe when he heard that.

Sympo had heard the news, thanks to the house-elves, and she'd met the two first-year students as she went to the Slytherin common room to share the good news with the other Slytherins. She was the first to arrive in the Potions classroom.

'What are you doing still here, sir?' she asked Gibbs.

'I can't leave these kids with boiling cauldrons,' he answered.

'What were you working on?' Sympo asked the class.

'A Vitamin potion,' a Hufflepuff answered.

'And can it be frozen safely before it's completed?' Sympo asked the class.

'Yes, but only if the fire is put out first,' a Ravenclaw said.

'Very good. I'll tell Professor Snape that you answered correctly. Now extinguish the fires, and freeze the contents of your cauldrons,' Sympo ordered.

The students obeyed, and the seventh-year Slytherin helped those who had difficulties to cast the spell on their potions.

'You can go to the hospital; I'll stay here with the class,' Sympo told Gibbs.

'Are you sure?' he said.

'Yes, they're nice and obedient. You're about to become an uncle, sir,' she said.

'In a few hours,' he pointed out.

'Erm, sir… Mrs Snape might be a Muggle, but she's expecting a witch, and she's got a Mediwitch to cast Delivery spells on her, and she's married to a Potions master,' the young Slytherin explained.

Gibbs started running towards the hospital.

He wasn't the only one rushing upstairs. There were students, teachers, ghosts and house-elves.

'Leroy!'

Pince could be quite loud, and when she spotted her husband a flight of stairs above her, she yelled for him to wait for her. Their Jack was making a nice bump on his mother, and Pince was quite slow. Gibbs rushed back to his wife, and he was slightly tempted to carry her to go faster.

'Don't be in such a hurry, Leroy,' Pince said quietly.

'But Sympo said it could be very fast!' he countered her.

'A Witching delivery _is_ faster than the average Muggle one, but magic has its limits, my dear. Ceres will be born in about one hour, because she's Abby's first baby. The next baby, indeed, could come _much_ faster,' Pince explained.

'Tonight, you'll tell me more, much more about what to expect when you deliver Jack,' he declared.

She nodded and gave him a warm smile that made him melt.

Gibbs was leaning towards his wife to give her a kiss when a human Snitch warped past them. Harry had been in Hogsmeade with Greenli, who was shopping for the family, when the news reached them. Greenli Apparated them back to the gates, and from there, Harry turned into a human missile; he wanted to be there to welcome Ceres.

'Isn't he cute?' Pince asked rhetorically.

'As a button. And fast as a bullet! Let's hurry, Irma,' Gibbs said.

Pince was still chuckling when they reached the floor of the hospital.

As soon as they arrived, they felt the tension, and Gibbs's instincts reacted strongly.

'Irma,' he whispered. 'The baby is a bit early. Do you think there could be a problem?'

'Well, pregnancy isn't nine months exactly on the dot, but there's always a risk, you know,' she said. 'However, Poppy is more than good. When she learnt Mediwizardry, she passed a midwifery degree, too. She came to Hogwarts to be with a young teacher decades ago.'

'Which teacher?' Gibbs inquired.

'A Defence one. He didn't survive long, but Poppy stayed,' Pince explained.

Gibbs knew that the survival remark was certainly literal.

He and Pince walked past students and reached other members of the staff.

Dumbledore stopped Gibbs and said, 'Severus asked Donald to come and help.'

'Why?' Gibbs asked.

'He didn't say, and since he's an Occlumens,' Dumbledore whispered into Gibbs's ear, 'I don't know what he was thinking.'

'Do you think something might be wrong with Abbs?' Gibbs asked.

Dumbledore looked worried when he said, 'Severus was pale, and he looked spooked.'

_Severus_ and _spooked_ weren't words that Gibbs would ever have imagined in the same sentence. That was truly scary.

Harry, who was in Rae's arms, could feel the tension. With a small voice he asked, 'What's happening to Mummy and Ceres?'

'Do you remember how Tony complained that I took too long to be ready to go when there was the Marine Ball last month?' Ziva asked Harry.

Harry nodded fervently.

'It's just the same. Ceres is making everybody wait,' Ziva lied without blinking.

'Oh, okay,' Harry said, reassured.

The students were sent back downstairs, and most of the teachers left to keep the students busy in the Great Hall.

Jackson Gibbs arrived a few minutes later. One of the house-elves had travelled to Stillwater to Apparate him inside Abby's flat, and from there, he'd rushed into Hogwarts and upstairs to the hospital.

McGee and Rae were devising a plan to distract Harry in order to allow Gibbs to tell his father what was going on with Abby when Ducky came out.

'Greenli, you may take Harry inside,' he said.

Harry ran inside so fast that Greenli was practically flying behind him like a kite.

Ducky closed the doors behind them and gathered the family around him. His huge grin told them that everything was all right – at least it was _now_.

'What happened?' Ziva asked.

'There's been a bit more magic than expected in Abigail's pregnancy,' Ducky said.

'Could you be a bit less cryptic?' Pince growled with impatience.

'It turned out that Ceres was impatient to be born today because she was feeling a bit cramped next to her twin. Poppy doesn't know how the girl escaped her spells, but she had to adjust the doses of potions for Abigail during delivery. Severus and I helped. Mother and daughters are all right. Severus is a bit stunned though,' Ducky explained with a merry chuckle.

'Twins?!' Jackson shouted.

Tension dropped, and a fear tears fell.

'Is there something wrong with the other baby?' Pince inquired.

'What do you mean?' Jackson asked his daughter-in-law.

'Pregnancy spells can detect _anything_, Papa,' she answered. 'It's not normal that she wasn't detected.'

They all turned to Ducky, who said, 'She's a healthy baby… as healthy as Ceres.'

'They're going to need duplicates of everything!' McGee exclaimed.

'Magic, Probie!' DiNozzo reminded his friend.

'I bet Hogwarts and the house-elves have already done everything for baby number two,' Ziva declared.

'Does she have a name?' Dumbledore asked his husband.

Ducky nodded and said, 'Abby decided to give her the second name they'd chosen for Ceres.'

'Sweet Lord!' Jackson growled.

'You really don't like it, do you?' Gibbs said.

Jackson growled and said, 'Her school days will be horrible with such a name!'

'Dad, she'll go to school _here_. All the kids will know her by the time she's sorted into her house, and she's the daughter of the Head of Slytherin!' Gibbs pointed out.

'Yea, you're right… and I can call her Angie,' Jackson said.

'What name did they choose?' Ziva asked.

'Angitia,' Ducky answered.

Greenli came to invite the _family_ to meet the twins.

The girls looked identical. However, it wouldn't take their family long to realize how different they were – at least that was what they would believe for over a decade.

Severus and Abby Snape were amazed to find themselves with twin daughters, but they were ecstatic that their babies were healthy.

Everybody offered to help, and things went smoothly.

Harry was on a cloud, and he became a model elder brother for the girls.

In fact, the birth of the girls was the oddest event for a few years. However, the links between Hogwarts and NCIS, and between Muggle and Wizarding communities, became more intricate and grew deeper very fast – first with weddings, and then with births.

.

(Next scene as soon as possible)


End file.
